


Cat And Dog

by Pixel_Runner



Series: Marvellous Dogs of War [2]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, X-Men (Movieverse), werewolves - Fandom
Genre: All the swearing, Alpha is a State of Mind, Animalistic Sex, Canadianisms, Canon-Typical Violence, Could be Cathartic, Could be triggering, Eventual Smut, F/M, Grumpy Fluff, Hurt, I Don't Even Know, It grows back, Not Beta Read, Not suitable for TV, Past Child Abuse, Possibly Graphic Depictions of Injuries - depending on your sensitivity level, Rehabilitation, Reports Vary, Slice of Life, Swearing, Temporary Character Death, Victor is a Bad Guy, Vore - but only a little, Werewolf Mates, Werewolves, With Victor Creed it's Dub-con, at all, not a/b/o, some violence, take care of yourself
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2018-12-29 18:14:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 44
Words: 68,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12090630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixel_Runner/pseuds/Pixel_Runner
Summary: Victor finds a young woman who survived a werewolf attack.  So where are the rest of the pack?She needs Dr Cho.  Maybe he could help. What's in it for him?Originally posted Published at: 2017-03-19,  Removed due to lack of interest.  But someone contacted me on Tumblr and said they loved it, so I'm putting it back.I'm not totally happy with it, but here it is.





	1. Tracking by Scent

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IronKissed](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronKissed/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel a bit bad for damsel-ling my OFC, but... if we are talking about well set up, self sufficient women, their interactions with a comic book Hero would be minimal, and they would just get on with their lives afterwards. If I want a character who can be sucked into the hero's world, she needs a life she can walk away from.
> 
> The feeding thing isn't my kink. I am not judging if it is yours. Removing one or more level one priorities on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is an easy way to indicate the character is well and truly in a bad spot.
> 
> Openning chapter set in Canada because I am Canadian and socialized health care is handy.

Victor was mostly fine living in his off grid cabin in the woods.  Mostly.  Every now and again he got the hankering for something that would drive him into civilization.  Whiskey.  Women.  Food that was cooked and not just killed.  Tonight it was all three.

 

It was a six hour drive from his remote cabin to the small city where he was going to play.  There were a couple of gas station towns on the way, but he wanted someplace big enough that a couple of raped up whores would go unnoticed.

 

He had parked his pickup in a better neighbourhood and had walked to a worse one.  He was looking for a really grungy dive bar when he smelled her.  Her smell was wrong.  Pain and subclinical opioid use, that was not abnormal.  Enough ketones that she was clearly dancing with starvation, very common and uninteresting.   She was on her rag, but at any given time so was 1/4 adult female population between the age of 15-50.  She smelled almost like Yennork.  Almost.  And that was what was wrong.  He had smelled Yennork before.  Hell, he had fucked Yennork before.  It honestly wasn't worth the trouble of killing of her pack just to get to her, but he had been curious.  

 

Who ever he was smelling wasn't quite a Yennork and more surprisingly, he couldn’t smell her pack around her.  The Puppies might brag about how enlightened they were, treating their bitches good, but they were still guarded.  He never found a Yennork actually alone.  She just might not know she was being followed.  This one was only being followed by him.

 

The trail was not fresh, but still not hard to follow.  She got on a bus in a bad part of town.  He pulled up the bus route on his phone and followed it to a worse part of town.  He could tell which stop she took.  Then, three blocks off the main road she entered a slum apartment building over a porn store.  The second floor was a collection of soiled doves.  The third floor was a two bit drug dealer, and geriatric old man who had been there for fifty years and her door.  

 

The lock was crap,  he didn't even bother breaking it, he just put one hand on each side of the door frame and pulled them apart an inch so the door fell open.  The door chain didn’t even last a second against his claws.

 

The apartment was a tiny studio.  It was as clean as it could be, under the circumstances.  The cupboards had no doors and were empty.  The roach problem was helped by all the food, plates and pots being stored in the fridge.  All the food in this case was a quart of milk, a bag of apples that had been reduced for quick sale, a bag of oatmeal and a carton of eggs.

 

The carton of eggs was interesting, because written on the cardboard were the days of the week. Sunday to Friday were assigned two eggs each.  The place stunk of starvation so bad that this was either a reminder to only eat two eggs a day or a reminder to make sure to eat two eggs a day.  The way women were fucked up about their weight these days, he wasn’t willing to bet on which one.

 

There was no door on the closet.  The clothes were either hung up and tidy or in a sealed plastic tote to keep the bugs or rats out.  The girl was passed out, face down on the mattress with the pillow under her left shoulder.    She was wearing plain cotton panties and a tank top that didn't cover the wound on her shoulder.  It smelled of dog and metal and hospital.

 

A new infection then.  That explained a lot.  He picked up the bottle of pills.  The script date was almost three weeks ago.  That was wrong.  Whoever had bitten her should have found her by now.  He looked around the apartment.  Aside from the bed, a single folding chair was the only stick of furniture she had.

 

Her stomach grumbled.  She whimpered and started to curl into a ball, then whimpered again as this jostled her shoulder and she froze.

 

Victor left, his curiosity satisfied.  Fuck, for once, a Yennork that would be better off after the puppies found her.  He couldn’t believe she was living like this.  He pulled the door closed behind him and looked down at the drugged out piece of shit in gang colours in the hallway.

 

“That frigid bitch finally spreading her legs, huh?  Took her long enough.”

 

Victor had the man by the throat and looked at him.  He considered snapping the man’s neck.   “Do yourself a favour and never look at that woman again.  Maybe her boyfriend will let you live.”

 

“Fuck!  Put me down you motherfucker!” 

 

Victor grinned showing his teeth but did as he was told.  The bastard shot him in the back on his way out.  Victor turned, snapped the guy’s neck then dragged the body to the roof and dropped him into the back alley.  On his way back past the girl’s door he stopped to listen.  Her breathing was still shallow.  Either she was one hell of a sound sleeper or she was passed out unconscious.  He considered this.  He wasn’t doing anything important and it would be worth a couple of days of his time to keep an eye on her until the Puppies turned up.  They were sticklers about favours and having the local pack owe him was attractive.

 

There was a 24 hour grocery store and liquor mart up the block.  He bought a couple of cartons of eggs, a couple of pounds of bacon, a six pack of beer and a bag of oranges.   After some thought, he added a few tins of pasta.

 

Getting back into her apartment was even easier.  No one had called the cops on the dead guy out back yet.  In this neighbourhood, that would be a while.  

 

He got the frying pan out of the fridge.  It was a vintage cast iron on.  Back in the day, he could have bought this for a nickel.  These days, if she cleaned it up, this brand would sell for a small fortune on eBay.  He cooked the bacon and set it aside, then cooked six eggs in the fat.  Her stomach woke her up.

 

“You are in the wrong apartment.  Please leave.”  

 

He didn’t bother turning around, the eggs were almost perfect.

 

“Did you hear me? You are in the wrong apartment, just go.  Please.”

 

He turned around.  She took a step back.  She was holding a baseball bat, but he could smell her pain from holding her arm like that.  She was literally shaking with fear.  He wandered over and sat on the floor “Sit down and eat.  I’m here to ask about your shoulder.”

 

She just stared at him.

 

“Sit down and eat.” He repeated.  “Answer my questions and I’ll go.” 

 

He helped himself to a piece of bacon. She watched him eat it.  He took another one.  “The eggs are ready to eat now.  You stand there staring at me and they will be cold by the time you decide that eating is better than starving.”

 

She sat down and inhaled a piece of bacon.  

 

He pulled one of the beer out of the pocket of his coat and cracked it open.  She flinched at the sound, then winced at the flinch.

 

“You were attacked by a dog.  It bit your shoulder and ran away and animal control never found it.”

 

“Yeah.  How did you know?”

 

“What happened afterwards?”

 

“I went to the hospital.  It had completely cracked my humerus.  I had emergency orthopaedic surgery to try to wire it back together.  I had a postoperative infection.  It did not respond to antibiotics.  I went septic.  The infection started to spread in the bone.  The surgeon went back in and removed a big chunk of my shoulder joint.  A replacement shoulder joint was installed.  The wound is still not healing properly and the implant is not stable.”

 

“How long ago?”

 

“Three months.  I lost my job.  I can’t work.  My welfare cheque barely covers the rent here.  I’m living off of the food bank.  My physiotherapist keeps telling me I need to eat better to heal.  If my shoulder doesn’t sort itself out soon, we are going to have to talk about removing my arm.”

 

“Three months?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Three fucking months?”

 

“Yeah.  Do you have any other questions or would you leave now please?”

 

He watched her as he finished his beer.  She hadn’t made eye contact the whole time they were talking.  Was that instinct?  Something from the infection?  God knew making eye contact with one of the Puppies was an easy way to pick a fight.

 

“I owe you a better lock.” She looked at the door and winced.  “I can’t believe that the guy who bit you took three months to find you when it took me less than an hour.”

 

“It wasn’t a guy, it was a dog.”

 

“It wasn’t a dog, it was a werewolf.”

 

Now she looked at his face. The smell of her fear hit him like a slap.  After a calculating moment she said, “Thank you for telling me that.  Now would you mind leaving?”

 

“You don’t believe in werewolves.”

 

“I believe that you believe in werewolves and I believe that you promised to leave if I answered your questions.  I have answered your questions.  It is time for you to go.

 

Victor looked at her, fear was pouring off of her.  He nodded and went out to the hallway.  She closed the door behind him then he heard her drag the chair over and try to barricade the door.  The smell of her pain flooded out of her apartment.  His better than average hearing combined with the paper thin walls meant that he could hear her forcing herself to vomit and then throwing out the rest of the food he had made.  He stood in the hallway while she washed the dishes, whimpered her way through a shower and got dressed.  He was still waiting in the hallway as she fled the building, and onto a bus.  

 

He pulled up the bus route on his phone.  This one went to the hospital.  There was another one scheduled in 15 minutes. He took that one and easily followed her trail to the post operative physiotherapy department.   He considered this, then used Google to find a hardware store. He bought better locks.  They wouldn’t keep him out but they would slow down the locals a bit.  He also bought the tools he needed to install the locks and a pair of clippers and a toothbrush.  He was waiting when she came out of the hospital.  He followed her to the porn store downstairs from her apartment.  

 

From across the street, he watched her take off her sling and unbutton her shirt a couple of buttons. She sold porn for three hours and took a handful of cash to the local fast food restaurant and headed home.

 

He followed her into her apartment.  “You going to eat that crap?”

 

She screamed a little and spun to face him. “Go away!”

 

“Seriously, that has no redeeming qualities.”

 

“It has 1600 calories for $10.  That is redeeming.”

 

“Let me take you out for better food than that.”

 

“Please just go away.”

 

“You could always call the cops.  I bet your neighbours would love that.”  He started to install the lock set. “You need to take your meds now.”

 

She stared at him, then she did.

 

“Good girl.  Now, I understand you don’t want to eat food made by the crazy long haired freak who broke into your place, but would you agree to eat food made by the nice people at the restaurant as paid for by the crazy long haired freak?”

 

“I’m not leaving with you.”

 

He snorted.  That was cute.  As though she would have a choice if he insisted.

 

“Delivery it is.”

 

It was her turn to snort.  “You aren’t going to find anyone to deliver to this postal code.”

 

He considered this as he finished with the locks.  When he was done, he went into her bathroom and clipped his hair about half an inch long all over.  He looked at her where she was watching him in the mirror.  “How do you feel about facial hair?”

 

She didn’t say anything, but turned to get her coat out of the closet.  He helped her on with it and held the door for her.  After he locked the door he gave her one of the keys and kept the other.  “You don’t get to keep my keys.”

 

“I’m not.  I’m keeping my keys.  Why aren’t you running away to stay with a friend or your folks or something?”

 

“I’m not answering that.”

 

“You don’t have anywhere else to go.” Victor laughed.  “Puppy did his research before he bit you.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“I don’t want you in my apartment anymore.”

 

“I believe you, but you also didn’t eat your McDinner, so ….”

 

They took the bus to the local mega mart.  She bought over the counter pain killers, a box of generic brand pads, and some more dish soap.  She also protested when he paid.  “Leave it Frail.  I’m buying you a warmer blanket and some new shoes too.” 

 

The blanket they got there.  Then he took her on the bus down town. He wanted to buy her a pair of combat style work boots, but she couldn’t pull them on with one hand.  He settled on a pair of Blundstone style boots. It took a while to find a pair that fit right, the brand name ones were too wide for her feet.  He had never heard of El Naturalista, but the soles were sturdy and they fit her the best.  She protested the boots too. He pointed out that he had never seen a woman with only one pair of shoes before and hers were falling apart.

 

Dinner at a medium price range pub.  He insisted she get a steak.  “If you get any more anemic, you will fall down if you stand up too fast.”  The way she blushed at that suggested that might already be a problem.  Fucking stupid puppies.  How did they lose their prey for three fucking months?

 

Everywhere they went he searched for traces of the Puppies.  There were none.  When he took her back to her place, there were cops outside.  He tensed.  She walked right in and he followed her. The cops stopped her to ask what she was doing there.  He answered, “We live in Apartment 3B.”  She had ID to prove it.  He didn't but she didn’t contradict his story.  The cops waved them through.

 

“You could have ditched me there, Frail.  Why didn't you?”

 

“Don’t call me that.  I don’t know.  Don’t make me regret it.”

 

He grinned a tight lipped grin at her and said, “I’ll guard the door.  You go to sleep.”

 

“I’m not inviting you into my bed.”

 

He laughed, “You didn't invite me into your apartment either.  I told you, I’ll guard the door.  You sleep.”

 

She went into the bathroom to change.  There was certain amount of grunting, swearing and whimpering before she emerged in the same tank top she had slept in last night.

 

“This place have laundry?”

 

She shook her head no.  “There’s a laundromat five blocks away.”

 

“Your tote bin is getting full.  We’ll go take care of that tomorrow.”

 

“Why are you doing this?”

 

“Waiting to see what comes for you.”

 

“Besides you, you mean.”

 

“Yeah.  Time for your next dose of painkillers.”

 

“I don’t take them all that often.  It’s looking like this is going to be a long term thing and I’m not looking to get too dependant.”

 

He nodded.  “Need anything before you tuck in?”

 

“Who are you?”

 

He hesitated.  “My name is Victor.”

 

“I’m Emily.”

 

He nodded and handed her a couple of the generic ibuprofen she had purchased.  “You never answered the question about facial hair.”

 

“I’m not your girlfriend. It isn't my call.”

 

“You’re the one who’s going to be looking at me for the next couple of weeks.”

 

“Well, in that case, I’m glad you shaved off the dreads.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just for fun, imagine Tyler Mane's Sabertooth going into Emily's bathroom with the clippers and Liev Schreiber's Victor Creed coming out.


	2. The Arrangement

Emily woke to the smell of bacon.  This time, he had just cooked for himself.  She set about making a bowl of oatmeal.

 

Victor carried the tote of dirty laundry to the laundromat.  Then he left.  He came back a couple of hours later smelling of booze, cigarettes and cheap perfume.  Emily was slowly and carefully unloading the dryer.  Everything was being folded, awkwardly with one hand, and placed back into the tote.  

 

Victor watched.

 

Emily ignored him.  She slung the tote on her hip and backed out of the door so she could avoid using her left hand.  She stank of pain, her skin pale, extra white around her lips.  He followed her back to her apartment.  After watching her struggle with the outside door for a few minutes, he opened it for her.  He followed her up the stairs and opened her apartment door as well.

 

He pulled out his key and set it on the counter.  “You will have a week of slightly better meals.  Good luck with the arm.”

 

She stared at him.  “I’m not complaining, but what changed?”

 

“I don’t know what the fuck happened to you, but there aren’t any werewolves in this town.”

 

She just stared at him.

 

“No one is coming for you.  There is no point in me wasting my time in this shit hole.”

 

She nodded.  “Thank you for the shoes.”

 

He turned to leave.  “You would be better off if they just pulled the implant.  You will be able to grow a new shoulder joint once you turn.”

 

She looked at him like he was crazy.

 

“That or ask Stark to grow you a new shoulder.”

 

“Yeah, I’ll just get on that.  Superhero billionaire’s always take my calls, ya’know.”

 

He hesitated.   “I might know someone whose call he would take.”

 

“Really.”

 

“My brother has worked with him before.”

 

“Hmmm.”  She clearly didn’t believe him.

 

He looked at her.  She wasn’t bad looking.  She smelled better than the average Hume.  “I’ll tell you what.  If I can get Stark to fix your arm, you can owe me a favour.”

 

“What kind of favour?”

 

“A year.”

 

“What?”

 

“I get him to save your arm, you give me a year of your time.”

 

“You could break a lot more than my arm in a year.”

 

He leered.  “Yeah.  I could.”  He used a fingernail to carve his phone number into her counter.  “Let me know.”

 

Then he left.

 

Four months later, his phone rang.

 

He let the call connect, but didn’t say anything.  A woman’s voice said, “Victor?  Is this Victor?”  She had clearly been crying. Crying women just made him horny.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Umm  It’s Emily….  I can’t believe…  Look, you said once that you could maybe get Mr Stark to look at my arm…..  Is that a real thing?”

 

He disconnected the call.

 

Why was he doing this?  Fuck.  He called Jimmy and explained the situation.

 

—-

 

Emily was going in for her last surgical consult.  Her left arm had almost completely atrophied.  The constant pain had pushed her to the point where the opioids were no longer optional.  She was barely keeping it together.  She had to go in and sign some papers to consent to the amputation.  They needed a post surgical treatment plan.  She had to pass the pre surgical medical.  She had some concerns about that.

 

When she was called into the surgeon’s office, there was another woman she hadn’t met before.  Dr. Hughs introduced Dr Helen Cho.  If Emily would agree, Mr. Stark would pay for her to travel to New York and they would try some experimental bone grafting to attempt to rebuild her joint.  Emily agreed immediately.  Because it was a rush, she was able to get her passport in 48 hours.  Everything she owned fit into two tote bins. She and they were loaded onto a Stark branded jet a few days later and her shoulder was rebuilt in a week.  It healed up quickly.  She would still need months of physiotherapy to reverse the atrophy, but she was pain free for the first time in months.

 

That’s when she met Logan. 

 

“What did you do?” He asked.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Sabretooth agreed to merc for our side while you were in treatment and for a year afterwards if we saved your arm.”

 

She showed no recognition at the name, but she paled and smelled like fear when he mentioned the year.

 

“Umm…  Is Sabretooth sometimes known as Victor?”

 

“Yeah.  Victor Creed.”

 

“Umm….” She hesitated.  “So… from the way you're are talking, he’s a bad guy?”

 

“He’s my brother, but yeah, he’s a bad guy.  What’s he to you?”

 

“I have no idea.  He turned up in my apartment one night about four, maybe five months back and cooked me bacon.  Told me a crazy story that I had been bitten by a werewolf and that’s why my arm wasn’t healing properly.”

 

Logan stared at her for a moment, then leaned in and sniffed her shoulder.  She blushed.  “Yeah, I know, but I can’t wear deodorant yet.”

 

He didn’t say anything, he kept sniffing.  Then suddenly he stopped and stared at her wide eyed.  “How the fuck did you get bitten by a werewolf and not taken?”

 

“Because they aren’t real?” She looked at him.  “Are they?”

 

“Ten years ago, people didn’t believe in mutants or Asgard or aliens either.”

 

“Are you seriously telling me I was bitten by a werewolf?  That can’t be right.  That was like eight months ago, so eight or nine full moons and I haven’t started howling at the moon or chasing teenagers through the woods.”

 

“It doesn’t work like that.  Werewolves are out all the time.  It’s just that historically, full moon was the only time Humans had enough night vision to be able to see them.  Also, the females don’t change.  At least not where it shows.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“Look, I know my brother and he wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire.  If he is getting you help, he is getting something.  I want to know what that something is.”

 

“A year.”

 

“What?”

 

“If Mr Stark saves my arm, Victor gets a year of my time.”

 

“You stupid bitch!  Why would you agree to that?”

 

“Because I didn’t want to lose my fucking arm!  I was out of options!  They were going to take the whole arm and shoulder blade and collarbone.  I wouldn’t even be able to be fitted for a prosthesis!  Victor spent two days with me and he looks scary as hell, but he didn’t actually hurt me or  _ do  _ anything scary and he promised to find a way to save my arm.  Tell me he didn’t make that call!  Tell me it isn’t his fault I’m standing here. With my arm still attached to my body.  And.  AND!  You get him on your side for a whole year!”

 

Logan just shook his head, “Victor is always on the same side.  His.”  And with that he walked away.

 

A couple of weeks later, she was discharged from the hospital wing of Stark Tower.  They gave her an apartment on the 11th floor.  It was easily three times as big as her studio.  The furnishings were modern, white and expensive looking.  She had daily physiotherapy and massage.  Meals were delivered and she was going to start occupational therapy once they had weaned her off the drugs.  She fell into bed exhausted every night.

 

A week after that, she was running in the gym and she met Pepper Potts.  She made a point of coming over to Emily’s treadmill and being nice to her.  It was weird chatting about weather with one of the top five most powerful women in the world.  Pepper invited her to dinner with “The Boys” that night.  Emily tried to beg off, but Pepper insisted.

 

She found her least ratty clothes that still looked like thrift store rejects and put on her boots and went anyway.   She smiled and nodded as she was introduced to Captain ‘Call Me Steve’ America, Tony ‘Iron Man is staring at my breasts’ Stark and Dr Bruce Banner, who seemed strangely out of place.  There were a lot of people at this thing.  She was pretty sure she had just spotted a god or maybe two. They were all wearing thousand dollar shoes and tailored clothing.  They were mostly a foot or more taller than her. She found a corner to stand in and nursed her drink while avoiding joining in the conversation or making eye contact for an hour before she felt she could politely flee.

 

She sat in the elevator and had a little cry on her way back to her floor.

 

“Are you alright Miss Farthing?” a voice in the ceiling asked.  She looked around and failed to spot the camera, but she wiped her face and lied, “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just a little tired.”

 

“Alright then.  Please don’t hesitate to let me know if I can be of assistance.”

 

“Thank you, Mr?”

 

“Just Jarvis, miss.”

 

“Call me Emily, Jarvis.”

 

“Yes miss.  It may be worth noting that Mr Creed and Mr Howlett have arrived and are looking for you.  Are you feeling up to returning to the event?  You will be missed at dinner.”

 

“Can I have, like ten minutes in my room first?”

 

“Of course miss.  May I inform the gentlemen of your plans?”

 

“Um, I guess so, if they ask.”

 

“They have already done so, miss.”

 

“You aren’t going to actually call me Emily, are you?”

 

“Likely not, Miss Farthing.”

 

Emily went back to her suite and sat on the floor in the dark for a few minutes.  After what she was certain was ten minutes precisely, the phone rang.  “Hello?”

 

“It’s Jarvis, Miss Farthing.  Mr. Creed is becoming… impatient at your continued absence from the event.”

 

“I’ll be right there.”

 

She splashed some cold water on her face and got back on the elevator.

 

She could hear shouting as the elevator doors opened.  It stopped as everyone turned to stare at her.  She blushed and inched her way around the perimeter of the room.  Victor spotted her and strode over. She panicked a little.  His nostrils flared.  He stopped and changed tactics.  He adjusted his face to a less ragey expression and oh - so - casually wandered over.  It would have been more casual if he hadn’t maintained eye contact the whole way.

 

“How’s the arm?”

 

“Getting better.  Thank you.”

 

He nodded.  “Didn’t they warn you this was a dress up event?”

 

She dropped her eyes and blushed so hard her scalp showed through her part as red.  “Um…”

 

“They didn't get you any clothes, did they?”

 

“No.” She took a shuddering breath.  “I mean.  I have clothes and I’m getting to keep my  arm so I’m not complaining or anything and … well, mostly no one looks at me so … it’s not like I  _ need _ nicer clothes.  It isn't like I ever leave the building.”  She looked up and around him.  Everyone immediately stopped staring.  Steve was blushing as red as she was.  She dropped her voice to a whisper, “Look, these are rich and powerful people and I’m just some community college dropout who couldn't even keep a job selling porn for cash under the table.  This isn't the kind of event where I am going to belong no matter what I’m wearing.”

 

He nodded.  “Come on.”  He headed back to the elevator.  They both got on, he pressed L for Lobby.

 

“How nice to see you again, Miss Farthing.”

 

“Lovely to not see you as well, Mr Jarvis.”

 

“Mr Creed, Mr Howlett will be joining you in the lobby.”

 

Victor didn’t say anything.

 

Emily asked, “Are you OK?”

 

“They were supposed to take care of you.  That was part of the deal.  Having you turn up like some little match girl to formal event isn’t taking care of you.”

 

“They have been awesome!  I have gotten amazing medical care. I am not complaining.”

 

“I am.”

 

“Umm… where are we going?”

 

“I’m gonna buy you some new clothes and take you out to dinner.”  He snorted.  “And I’m going to make my little brother stand in the corner while we go shopping for panties.”

 

Jarvis interjected at that point.  “Mr Creed, if you would tell me what you require, I can have it delivered.  Ms Potts has instructed me to ‘put it on Mr Stark’s tab,’ as it were.”

 

Victor grunted.  “I like matching bra and panty sets.  Something silky and sheer.  Actual panties.  None of this dental floss crap.  And she needs some dresses, or whatever.  Some fancy ones and some for everyday.”

 

“Anything else, Mr Creed?”

 

Victor looked at her.  “Could I have some better work out gear?  It’s kind of hard running on the treadmill in regular clothes.”

 

“Of course Miss Farthing.”

 

“Thank you Mr Jarvis.”

 

The doors opened on the lobby.  Logan was standing there holding an unlit cigar.  “Well?” he demanded.

 

“I’m taking my girl for a beer, Runt.”

 

“Are you now?”

 

“Yeah.  You joining us?”

 

“I’m invited?” The disbelief was palpable.

 

“This time.”

 

They all pile into a waiting Black SUV.  Victor tells the driver to take them to Josie’s.  Logan lights his cigar and cracks his window.  Despite being the biggest person in the car, Victor is in the middle.  This lets Emily turn her face to the window and press her cheek to the glass.  She sighs and closes her eyes for a moment.

 

“You OK?” Victor asks.  

 

“Yeah.  I’m just a little tired.”

 

“They feeding you?”

 

She turns and looks at him.  “Yes, thank you.  Catering delivers meals to my room three times a day.”

 

“You just eat in your room?”

 

She stares at him blankly like he has stopped speaking english or something.  “Yes?”

 

Dinner is uncomfortable.  Victor and Emily sit at a table in the back.  Logan sits at the bar watching Victor.  Victor in turn is staring at Emily.  He orders her a medium rare steak without asking what she wants.  He has six or seven double whisky with his steak.  She nurses her tonic with lime through the night. Small talk is mostly nonexistent.  Emily tries a couple times asking about what it was like growing up with Logan.

 

“Don’t you talk about the Runt.”

 

Or how he know’s Mr Stark.  “He works with Logan’s boss.”

 

“He’s not my boss!” is shouted from across the bar.

 

Victor smirks.

 

After dinner, Emily is afraid Victor will be too drunk to make it back to the tower, but he stands up as steady as if he had been drinking water rather than a liver killing amount of alcohol.  When they get back to the tower, he walks her to the door and when she turns to try to figure out how to say goodnight, he just says, “In you go then.” and turns and walks away.  He punches Logan on his way to the elevator though.  Brothers, huh?

 

 


	3. It’s Just Breakfast

Six AM the next morning, there's a knock at her door.  She manages to get herself into a sitting position in bed and listened to make sure she heard a knock and didn’t just dream one.  It comes again, this time it is someone banging on her door.  She scrambles out of bed and rushes to the door to wrench it open before she realizes she is only wearing a worn tank top and  panties.

 

It’s Victor. She gasps and shuffles trying to mostly hide behind the door.

 

“Let me in.  It ain’t anything I haven’t already seen.”

 

She did.  When he pushed past her, she could see Logan standing in the hallway.  She blushed and closed the door.  When she turned around, Victor was standing too close to her. She shrieked and was promptly knocked to the floor as Logan came through the door.

 

“God damn it Runt! Watch the goods!”

 

“Step back Victor!”

 

Victor snarled, but he took a step back.

 

Logan looked down at Emily.  “You OK?”

 

“Well, I was a hell of a lot better before someone hit me with a door.”

 

Victor snickered.

 

“You screamed.”

 

“He startled me!  Then you startled me AND hit me with a door!  In terms of asshole behaviour neither of you is doing very well right now.” She got to her feet, absentmindedly rubbing her left shoulder.

 

“You hurt?” Victor growled.

 

“I’m fine!” she snapped.  “Now, could someone please tell me why I am awake at 6am?”

 

Victor glared at Logan until he left.  “I want to take you to breakfast.”

 

Emily sighed.  “Do I have time to get dressed and brush my teeth, or is this an emergency breakfast in my underwear?”

 

Victor was suddenly watching her a lot more intently.  “Are there emergency breakfasts in your underwear?”

 

Emily blushed so red and ran to her room.

 

“You have time to shower!” Victor called after her.

 

He was standing exactly where she left him when she came out, well scrubbed and ready to go.  Almost. 

 

“You have shampoo in your left ear.”

 

“I never really got the hang off washing my hair with one hand.  I should just cut it off.  It would be a lot easier.”

 

Victor nodded.  “If you like.  That would be an option next year.”

 

Emily froze for a moment.  “Oh.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe.  “Well, that was much more polite than it could have been.  Thank you.”

 

He grinned a tight lipped grin at her.  She smiled back at him.  “Nice to see you happy again.  You seemed pretty pissed off last night.”

 

“The Runt and I had words after I dropped you off last night.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“The rules are the year doesn't start until AFTER your arm is all the way healed up.  In the meantime, I don’t get to be alone with you.”

 

Emily looked around.  “Aren’t we alone right now?”

 

“No you’re not!” Logan called from the other side of the door.

 

“They have to make sure you are taken care of.  That means clothes, food, whatever you need, it’s on Tony Stark's dime.  After you are healed up, you move into my rooms, but I only get you for one calendar year, I still have to go on missions with either the X-men or the Avengers and if I injure you the deal is off, you go into witness protection or something.”

Emily relaxed a little and nodded.  “So, where are we going for breakfast?”

 

“The Freaks and Geeks Cafe.”

 

It turned out this meant the same place she didn’t have dinner last night.  It was less crowded now.  Steve was there, he nodded at Victor and Logan. There was some guy and some other guy and a big blonde dude eating pop tarts and fussing over a tiny brunette who had clearly been up all night.  There was one massive seats 20+ dinning room table and a buffet laid out on a marble topped island.

 

Emily happily helped herself to some oatmeal.  She even got some of the expensive toppings she couldn’t afford at home, like fresh blueberries and real maple syrup.  She faced down the cappuccino maker for a moment before whispering to Victor, “Is there any normal people coffee?”

 

Steve laughed so hard the guy sitting next to him had to slap him on the back.

 

Victor nodded.  “What do you take in it?”

 

“A little bit of honey, please.”

 

He nodded.  “Why don’t you go sit next to Steve?  We served in the war together.”

 

She gave him a funny look, but went and sat next to Steve.  “Um….hi?”

 

“Good morning.” He said solemnly.

 

She paid really close attention to her oatmeal.

 

“Not much of a morning person?” He asked.

 

“No… I.. well…I’m Canadian.”

 

“OK?”

 

She nodded and didn’t look at him. 

 

He shrugged and went back to his pancakes.

 

Victor sat down.  “Trying not to say anything inappropriate to Captain America?”

 

Emily nodded frantically.

 

“Like how they turn up late for every war?”

 

“Ummm something like that…”

 

“Oh ho!  Is it going to be like that?” Steve teased.

 

“No!  No, I’m not saying anything.” Emily blurted out.

 

Victor started: “Over paid, over sexed and …”

 

“Over here.” Logan and Victor chorused.

 

“I have heard that one, but… that wasn’t where I was going.”  Emily said.

 

Everyone at the table turned to look at her.  “Well?” Steve asked.  “You might as well get it out of your system.”

 

“No.  It’s fine. I just have a ‘Three Dead Trolls In a Baggie’ song stuck in my head for no reason.”

They all looked blankly at her.

 

“Um so how about that game last night?”

 

Steve politely asked, “What game last night?”

 

“I don’t even know, I’m just trying to change the subject.  What war were you in with Victor?”

 

He gave her a look that seemed to indicate she should know this one.

 

“Leave it.” Victor commanded.

 

Steve shrugged. “I’m finished my pancakes anyway. It was nice to meet you, Emily.  I’m going to have to go look up that song.”

 

“I kinda wish you wouldn’t.”

 

He grinned and waved and left with his guys.

 

Emily took a swig of her coffee and sighed a happy little sigh. “That is perfect!  Thank you so much!”

 

“You’re welcome!” Tony Stark announced sitting next to her.  

 

On her other side Victor tensed. Emily realized he was glaring at Mr Stark. She gulped her last two spoonfuls of oatmeal and said, “Well, that was lovely.  I should get back to my room now.” She stood up.  Victor stood up, followed quickly by Logan.  “It’s OK.” She said.  “I can find my own way.”

 

Victor ignored her and followed her to the elevator.  Which meant that Logan had to follow him.  “Please come back and finish your coffee.  We don’t need to sit next to him.”

 

“It’s OK.  It’s his tower and I already made it weird with Steve.  Sorry about that.”

 

Victor gritted his teeth and growled. “Please. Come. Back. And. Finish. Your. Coffee.”

 

Emily gulped. She started to smell afraid. Logan stepped up close.  “She doesn’t have to.”

 

Emily looked from one of them to the other.  “Can we just have coffee in my room?”  They stopped glaring at each other and turned to stare at her.  “… or not?”

 

Victor jabbed the elevator button.  Logan said, “There are waffles here.”

 

Neither Emily nor Victor said anything.  Logan snapped.  “Just go eat with Thor!  I need a fucking smoke!”  He climbed onto the elevator and pushed Victor away as the doors closed.  Victor punched the doors hard enough to dent them.  He turned to see a shocked look on Emily’s face.

 

“Apparently,” Victor said, “there are Waffles.”

 

Emily had a waffle with peaches on top and some sausage and some more maple syrup.  Victor refilled her coffee twice.  He had steak and eggs with a side of bacon.

 

They sat there in silence listening to Dr Foster complain about the problems with light pollution.  When Emily looked around, Mr Stark was staring at her. Victor was staring at her. It was the most uncomfortable breakfast she had ever attended.

 

 


	4. Almond Shaped Manicure in Metallic Silver

Emily is trying not to cry as the physiotherapist is trying to stretch out the tendons in her elbow that had shortened after being held at a 90 degree angle almost continuously for the last nine months. She can get it to a 103 degrees without too much pain, but he is currently working towards 110 degrees.  She is gritting her teeth and sweating to get it there.

 

Mr Stark comes up behind her and Mark the Physio nods to him so he doesn't actually make her jump.

 

“So how’d you meet The Big Bad Kitty Cat there anyway?”

 

She answers through gritted teeth.  “He broke into my apartment and cooked me bacon.”

 

Mr Stark actually giggled at that.

 

Mark asks, “You need a moment?”

 

“No.  I’m ok.”

 

“What did he do to your shoulder?”

 

“Nothing.  It was like that when he found me.”

 

“So why does he care?”

 

“I don’t know.  Ask him.”

 

“You don’t like me much do you?”

 

Emily looked at him.  “I am extremely grateful that you arranged the surgery on my shoulder.  It’s just that this kind of hurts just now.  Plus you are uber rich and I am on welfare and you are super smart and well educated and I’m not.  You intimidate me, Mr Stark.”

 

He giggled again.  “You woke up to that thing in your apartment and I intimidate you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

He laughed all the way out of the room.

 

—

 

Victor and Logan turned up as Mark was next getting her to ice her elbow.  They looked tense.

 

“He hurting you?”

 

Emily looked up.  Victor was glaring at Mark.  “He’s helping to be able to straighten my elbow.  I haven’t moved it much since the… thing.   I need to be able to move my elbow before we can work on my shoulder.  So, yeah, it hurts a little, but it’s the only way to get functionality back.”  

 

She paused and looked at him.  “What’s up?”

 

Logan snorted in the background.

 

Victor tensed further and said, “Let’s get lunch.”

 

Emily felt tired and all she wanted was a nap.  She was getting the idea that wasn’t going to happen.  “Can I take a rain cheque?”

 

“Why?  So you can eat alone in your room?”

 

“I just…” she stopped and adjusted the ice pack.  “Yeah, ok.  I need to get cleaned up first.”

 

“You’re fine.  Let’s go.”

 

As soon as they were on the elevator, Emily said, “You there Mr Jarvis?”

 

“Always, Miss Farthing.”

 

“So, how’s my second favourite stalker doing today?”

 

“Mr Stark is recovering nicely and will be joining you for lunch.”

 

Victor looked angry. Emily was shocked.  “Mr Jarvis?  Is Mr Stark actually stalking me?”

 

“Was that not to whom you were referring?”

 

“No!  I meant you!  You are always watching me in the elevator!”

 

“Ah!  My apologies.  Monitoring building security is one of my primary responsibilities.”

 

“You didn’t actually answer my question.”

 

“Mr Stark is concerned for your welfare.  I do not believe he is stalking you.  However, you would not be the first woman to consider his attention creepy.”

 

The doors opened.  Victor stormed out.  Emily did not.  “Mr Jarvis?”

 

“Yes, Miss Farthing?”

 

“Do you always hold the elevators until people finish their conversations?”

 

“Yes, Miss Farthing.  If their conversations are of a private nature and the introduction of additional individuals would be distracting.  I also will avoid allowing Stark Industries employees from joining you in the elevator.  And if you ever need a moment, I will make sure you are undisturbed.”

 

“Is that a dig about last night?”

 

“A gentle explanation, Miss.”

 

“Thank you, Mr Jarvis.”  Emily left the elevator before he could reply.

 

Lunch was buffet style again.  It looked like she was the last person to arrive.  The team looked angry and several of them were sporting bruises she hadn’t noticed at breakfast.  Steve had butterfly bandages holding a cut closed over his eye.  Emily froze.  

 

“What happened?” She asked, stunned.

 

Everyone turned to look at Victor.

 

Emily turned to look at Victor.

 

“We had training this morning.”

 

“Training?”

 

“Yeah.  There were some… training accidents.”

 

“You did this?”

 

He could already smell her pain, but her fear flared around him. He stopped glaring at the others to look at her.  Fuck. Normal sized woman at 5’5, but he had a good 13 inches on her, and she was looking up at him in shock.

 

“Emily,” he started to say as he reached for her.

 

“Don’t touch her!” Logan was instantly there grabbing Victor’s wrist, Victor grabbed Logan’s throat with his other hand.  The two men glared at each other snarling slightly.

 

Emily started to back away.

 

“Stop!” Victor commanded.

 

Emily froze and gave him a deer in the headlights look.  Victor let go of Logan, who did not return the favour.

 

Suddenly Thor was crouching behind her.  “Emily, look at me.”

 

She turned and did.  He looked… mussed, but there wasn’t any actual cuts or bruises on him.  “Victor fought well.  He took the training exercise seriously and was careful not to injure any of the team members beyond their capacity to heal.  He is concerned that you are afraid and Logan is concerned about him grabbing you while you are afraid.  You do not need to be afraid of him because of this.” He gestured to the group.  Tony and Logan snorted in unison.

 

“What aren’t you telling me?”

 

“Many things, little one, but-“

 

At this point Emily went from afraid to pissed off.  “Look, just because you are all freakishly tall doesn't mean you need to be condescending to us normal people.  I am an inch taller than the average Canadian adult woman.  I never felt short until I moved in here. Jesus fucking Christ!  Mr Stark is only a couple of inches taller than me!  Do you call him ‘little one’ too?”

 

Steve started laughing again.  Victor chuckled.

 

Thor seemed taken aback.  “Um…  My apologies? I did not mean to offend.”

 

Emily groaned and rubbed her face with her hand. “No.  I’m sorry I snapped.  It has been a long day and physio is hard. And I shouldn’t complain because this is still way better than the alternative and it isn't like I got my ass handed to me by a guy with an almond shaped manicure in Metallic Silver.”

 

Tony laughed.  Victor frowned.  Logan frowned.  Emily didn’t notice as she walked around them to the buffet.

 

Once they were seated. Emily tried for small talk with Victor again.  “How was training?”

 

“It was fine.”

 

“Just fine?  Anything interesting happen?”

 

“No.”

 

“Um…  anything we can talk about to justify my presence at this lunch?”

 

He turned and looked at her.  “You don't need to talk to me to justify your presence at lunch.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Logan smacked him.  “What?”

 

“The lady is trying to be social and if you keep shutting her down, she’s going to stop trying.  Fuck, you were always shit with women.”

 

From across the table, Steve said.  “Don’t take this personally, Emily.  James is right.  Victor was always the kind of guy you wanted guarding your back in a fight, but he wasn’t ever a good wing man in a dance hall.”

 

“You two, er, three spend much time in dance halls?”

 

“Some.  Back in the day.  We weren’t in the same unit, but we were all on the western front and we ran into each other from time to time.”

 

She frowned.  “The Western Front?”

 

“Ma’am?”

 

She turned to Victor.  “Did you serve in World War Two with Captain America?”

 

Victor looked mortally offended.  “Of course not!”  Emily relaxed.  “I’m Canadian.  I served with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, also known as The Devil’s Brigade.  I was a paratrooper in World War Two.  The Runt and I used to jump out of airplanes with a fucking bicycle strapped to our chests.”

 

“Ha, ha. Very funny.  If you hadn't added the bit about the bicycle you may have been able to talk me into it.  But that was just going to far.”

 

He just stared at her for a moment and then went back to his lunch.

 

“He’s not making that up, Emily.” Steve said.  “The British made special folding bicycles so that when the paratroopers landed they could actually get to where they needed to be.  There were a few jumps that I made where I wished I had one.”

 

“OK. So, what happened to you?” Victor looked at her.  “Well? He ended up frozen for sixty years.  You are looking pretty good for being, what, a hundred?”

 

“I was born in 1879 or there abouts.”

 

She stared at him.  “So what?  Aliens and Asgardians and Werewolves AND men who live forever?”

 

“I never said I was a man. I'm an animal, who dreamed he was a man.  I haven’t lived forever, but I heal up pretty fast, so I might.”

 

“What do you mean pretty fast?”

 

“I don’t want to put you off your food, but…” He held out his hand, palm up.  When he was sure she was watching, he extended his claws.  She gasped.  He curled his hand into a fist.  She shrieked and his claws pushed right through his hand and out the other side.  He opened his hand and retracted his claws and watched as the wounds on his hand sealed themselves and healed completely.

 

“That was…. You were right.  That was pretty graphic for around the dinner table.”

He watched her. They all watched her.  “I wish I could do that.  This shoulder thing would be a lot easier if I could just magic it better like that.”

 

There was a collective releasing of held breath.

 

After a few bites of her salad, Emily added, “No wonder you don’t have anything to say to me.  My life and problems must seem incredibly trivial and brief.”

 

“Pain.  Hunger.  Fear.  Loneliness.  Those are universal problems Emily.”

 

“Can I see your hand?”

 

He held it out.  She gently ran her finger over his palm.  His fingers twitched.  “That tickles.”  She snatched her hand away. 

 

He gave her a look,  "You can touch me if you want.  It works better if you give me some warning, though."

 

"OK."

 

 


	5. Well, That Answers That Question

Emily didn't get a nap after lunch either.  Drs Banner and Cho wanted to run some tests.  She had blood drawn, and an ultrasound on her shoulder followed by an MRI.

 

“Anything I should know about?” She called from inside the machine.  It seemed to be taking longer than she would have expected.

 

Dr Cho called over the intercom, “Aside from the shoulder, does anything else hurt?”

 

“My elbow is certainly feeling this morning’s physiotherapy appointment, if that’s what you mean.”

 

“Anything else?”

 

“Not really.  Should there be?”

 

The lack of reply was not reassuring.

 

After the MRI, she spent time alternating between a hot tub and a cold tub. It wasn’t her favourite part of the day. She was really looking forward to the massage she got at the end of the day, but today Dr Cho told her that part was on hold for a while.

 

Emily looked up from that tidbit of disappointing news and saw Victor watching her.

 

“What can I do for you?”

 

“Want to go for a walk?

 

“Um…OK.  Where are we walking to?”

 

“Central park.”

 

“Me and you and Logan?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Emily just could not take the elevator without saying, “Hello Mr Jarvis.”

 

“Miss Farthing.  Your new clothing has arrived.  Would you care to inspect it or should I just have it laundered and delivered ready to wear?”

 

“Can I pick it up in the lobby when we get back?  I would like to see what you picked out first, so that you can return anything that doesn't fit.”

 

“Of course, Miss Farthing.”

 

—-

 

The sunshine in the park was amazing.  Emily laughed and ran a little before doing a one handed cartwheel and almost sticking the landing.  Which meant she ended up laying on her ass in the grass laughing happily to herself.  When Victor wandered over, she pointed up at him and declared, “Best Idea Ever!”

 

He grinned his tight lipped smile at her.  She wondered about that.  Teeth don't usually grow back.  After 140 ish years, maybe he was missing some.

 

“You look thoughtful.”

 

“Yeah, well, I’m trying to avoid foot in mouth disease.”

 

He looked puzzled by that.  “Do you ever run?”

 

“Sometimes.  On the treadmill in the gym upstairs.  I used to.  I was out for a morning run when… my shoulder injury happened.”

 

“You don’t like talking about that, do you?”

 

“No. It’s fine, it just sounds kinda crazy the way that you and Logan put it.  Especially that thing you said about him doing his homework.  You were right.  My folks died in an accident.  I don't have any siblings.  I was medivac’ed out of my community for ortho, so I never even had any visitors in the hospital.”

 

“Ah!” Both Victor and Logan made a sound of understanding.

 

“What?”

 

It was Logan who answered, “We couldn’t understand why the Puppies hadn’t come for you, but if you left town, that would explain it.”

 

“Oh.  Umm… what would have happened if they came for me?”

 

“Well, you wouldn't have gotten any medical care.”

 

Emily swallowed and looked away. 

 

Victor hesitated.  “So how about that game last night?”

 

“What game?”  She looked at him.  His eyes were twinkling.  She struggled to her feet. “Oh!  How big is this place?  I hear there is a zoo.”

 

“Not going to the zoo.  We can look at some sculptures if you like.”

 

“O…Kay…  Not a fan of zoos?”

 

“We make the animals nervous.”

 

“What, you and me or you and him?”

 

Logan said, “You know, we should get Thor to take her to the zoo.”

 

“No.”

 

Emily tried again.  “So, do you run?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Maybe we could go sometime.”

 

His eyes glittered at that.

 

They walked in silence for a while.  “Can we go see that John Lennon thing?”

 

“If you like.”

 

They changed directions slightly.  The Puppies started following them just after Tavern on the Green.  They weren’t even trying to be subtle, but Victor doubted Emily had noticed.  He and the Runt tightened up formation a bit, so there was less space around her.

 

Then suddenly, the Alpha was standing in the path ahead of them blocking the way.  “Let her go,” he said calmly.

 

Now Emily noticed. Everyone tensed as she began looking around wildly.  The Alpha continued, “Just walk slowly towards me, Ma’am.”

 

“What?  Victor, are we getting mugged?  I mean, I know that’s a thing in New York but I kinda didn’t expect it to be by men in perfectly tailored three piece suits.”

 

The Alpha looked confused for a moment; he broke eye contact with Victor to look at her.  Victor grinned, he had won.  The Alpha said,  “Ma’am?  You aren’t being mugged.  We are going to take you back to your pack.”

 

“I don’t need my pack. I left it in the Tower.” She was genuinely confused.  Victor smiled wider flashing his teeth at the Alpha.

 

“Emily,” He said slowly, not looking at her “Do you want to go with these men?” She could hear the smile in his voice.

 

“No!” She stepped closer to him.

 

“Then just tell them to be on their way.”

 

“Fuck off and leave us alone!”

 

“Good girl.”

 

The pack bristled at that.  The Alpha tried again.  “Ma’am, these aren’t our kind of people.  Let me help you find your family.”

 

“I think the lady told you to leave, bub.” Logan said.  He had relaxed and was lighting a cigar.  Emily tensed but the Puppies were looking uncertain now.  He blew a smoke ring.

 

One of the men behind her said, “What’s your name, Ma’am?”

 

“Oh! Hi! I’m Go Away and Stop Bothering Me, and these are my friends, Fuck Off,” she indicated Victor, “Get Lost.” she indicated Logan.  Both the boys found this highly entertaining.  The suits just looked baffled.

 

“Are you certain you don’t need help?” The Alpha asked.

 

“From you or for getting rid of you?”

 

“Can I give you my card in case you change your mind?”

 

“No!”

 

Logan nodded.  “I’ll take your card.” He said.  “Might be a year and a half or two before she calls you, though.”

 

“I can wait.”

 

The Alpha handed Logan a business card and the suits headed back towards the restaurant.

 

“Why’d you do that Runt?”

 

“Cuz you only get her for a year.”

 

“What is going on?”

 

They both turned and looked at her.  “Congratulations!  You just met your first pack of werewolves.”  Victor said.

 

“Are they all that creepy?”

 

He laughed, “Pretty much.”

 

“Fuck.  So… I don’t get to leave the tower without an escort, huh?”

 

“Nope!”

 

Emily was silent for the rest of the walk.  She read the plaques they walked past.  She looked at the trees, but mostly she just had a thousand yard stare.  As she was looking through the mosaic at Strawberry Fields Victor asked if she was alright.

 

She didn't look at him but said, “It’s been a long day.”

 

He considered this.  He had gotten her up earlier than she was expecting.  She hadn’t enjoyed breakfast.  That asshole had hurt her all morning.  At lunch she finally learned what he was. This afternoon featured an attempted kidnapping.  Yeah, long day.  He was glad she had brought up not leaving alone. It saved him from having to be the one to order her into house arrest.

 

“Wanna go back to the tower?”

 

She didn’t say anything right away. “Logan said females don't change so you would notice.  What does that mean?”

 

“Your smell is changing.  That’s why they came.  You won’t smell like food to them.”

 

“Are you a werewolf?”

 

Victor snarled at this. Emily took a step back.  “No.” he said, tersely. “I am not.”

 

Logan stepped in at this point.  “Werewolves are infected.  We were born with a genetic mutation.  People like us, we call ourselves Feral.”

 

“Are there lots of people like you?”

 

“We know a few Ferals.  They are more common than the healing thing.  I only know three people alive with that.”

 

“You heal up too?”

 

He came over and showed her his claws a little.

 

“Oh.”  She took a deep breath.  “Yeah, I suppose that wouldn’t work if you couldn’t heal up afterwards huh?”

 

“No Ma’am.”

 

“Do we have to go back or can we walk around a little more?”

 

“We can walk some more.”

 

They ambled around a bit.  They saw a dog statue.  They walked past the zoo, but didn’t go in.  When they were almost back to the tower, Emily said, “I know it’s important to you that I eat with your friends -“

 

“They are not my friends.” Victor interrupted.

 

Emily looked at him.  “Um.  Can I just eat in my room tonight?  I kinda need some down time.”

 

He wanted to say no.  She could see it on his face. “Fine.”

 

 


	6. Awkward

As they crossed the lobby of Stark Tower, a man in uniform hurried up “Miss Farthing?  I have a delivery for you.”

 

The delivery, it turned out was a hotel luggage trolley worth of shopping bags.  Victor helped her by driving it to her door.  “Need help trying anything on?” He grunted.

 

“I got it.”

 

Everything was wrapped in tissue paper.  She would have to call about how to recycle all of it.

 

Everything smelled that funky new clothes smell that she had previously been aware of, but hadn’t bothered her like this.  Bras and panties fit, but… she was used to moulded cups on her bras and these may offer support but her nipples would be clearly visible through her clothes. She frowned at her reflection.  On one hand, at least they weren’t horrible scratchy lace, but on the other… It kind of pissed her off that he was dictating her underwear choices.

 

Was this worth fighting about?  Maybe.

 

The rest of the clothes he had ordered for her were a series of sundresses and house dresses.  She wasn’t happy about those either.  They fit perfectly.  They were really flattering. She felt completely out of place in them.

 

That left the yoga pants that hugged her curves and clearly showed off the lines of her new panties.

 

Feeling very discouraged, she packed it all up and stuffed it in the closet.

 

She considered the fridge before going to the phone and pressing 0 for switchboard.

 

A familiar voice answered, “How may I be of assistance?”

 

“Mr Jarvis, could you sent up a pint of butter pecan ice cream?”

 

“Is everything alright?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“Were you happy with the clothing delivery?”

 

“It all fits.”

 

“That isn’t what I asked, miss.”

 

“No.  I kinda hate all of it.  There isn’t a single thing that I would have bought myself.  But you did an excellent job of fulfilling the brief he gave you, so … well done, Mr Jarvis.”

 

“Would you like me to try again?”

 

“Can I just get a couple of pairs of size four Levi’s and some T-shirts?”

 

“Of course, Miss Farthing!  Do you have a preferred style of undergarments as well?”

 

“Plain cotton fruit of the loom in bikini cut, some small tank tops and some lined bras?”

 

“I will have that delivered shortly.”

 

Someone knocked at the door.  Emily jumped.  “Holy shit, you are fast Mr. Jarvis!”

 

“I believe that is your ice cream Miss.”

 

Nonetheless, packages started rolling in less than an hour later.  The t-shirts were first, there was a v-neck t-shirt version of each of the Avengers costumes. The Hulk one made her laugh. There were also a selection of classic rock album covers, and some random printed ones.  She kept the Avenger ones and a selection of the more subtle prints and sent back the most of the classic rock ones and the more complicated picture shirts.

 

The jeans and panties arrived next.  They fit just as she expected.  The bras trickled in at the end.  She kept three or four and packed up the others to return.  Everything smelled funny, but there was a washer and dryer in the closet, so she pulled labels off of everything and prepared to do laundry.

 

As soon as she got the lid of the laundry soap, she gagged.  Ugh! It was a regular brand, how had she never noticed how bad it smelled.  She put the cap back on and set it out in the hallway, then turned on every exhaust fan in the unit and called the switchboard.

 

Lo and Behold, Mr Jarvis answered.  “Don’t you ever go on break?”

 

“No Miss, How may I be of assistance?”

 

“Is there a way for me to get some unscented laundry soap?”

 

“Of course!  I will have housekeep send some right up.”

 

Two minutes later, there was a knock on the door and five minutes later her first load of laundry was in the machine.  She jumped when the phone rang.

 

“Hello Mr Jarvis.”

 

“Sir wanted to invite you to a viewing of Ben Hur in his private theatre.”

 

“Umm.  How many other people are going?”

 

“Most of the team, I believe.  Mr Creed has indicated his attendance will be based on yours miss.”

 

“Can I call him?  I mean, you are the only person I have ever spoken to on this phone.”

 

“I will put you through miss.”

 

There was a click and the phone started to ring.  After a while, she gave up and hung up.  She paced for a moment, then called switchboard. “Can you tell me Mr Creed’s apartment number please?”

 

“Mr Creed resides in 32A, should I let him know you are coming?”

 

“No, he’s not answering his phone.  If he isn’t home, I’ll come right back to my room, OK?”

 

“As you wish, Miss Farthing.”

 

As she got onto the elevator she said, “Lovely to not see you again, Mr Jarvis.”

 

When she got to the 32nd floor there was a short hall way with only three doors.  A, B or C.  She walked over to door A and knocked. It was immediately flung open and Emily was faced with a lightly fuzzed male sternum in the middle of an extremely ripped male chest. She took a step back so that she would be able to she his face but before she had even looked up, she knew he was angry.  

 

“You aren't supposed to be here.”

 

“I tried to call first.”

 

“I was in the shower.”

 

“That would explain the towel.  I’m sorry.  I should just go.”

 

“What do you want, Emily?”

 

“I just…  You told Jarvis you would go to the movie if I was.  Is that you want to go, or you don’t want to go and were using me not going as an excuse.”

 

He just watched her.

 

She sighed, “Yeah.  Right.  What am I, in high school?  Look, just never mind.  I’m sorry I bothered you.”

 

“I’m not allowed to be alone with you until your shoulder heals.  I am sure I told you that this morning.”

 

She took another step back.  “Am I going to get you in trouble?”

 

“I don’t doubt it.  Off you go now.”

 

Emily climbed back into the elevator, as the doors closed, she saw Victor turn and go back into his apartment.  "Mr Jarvis?  Could I have a moment?"

 

The elevator stopped. "Take all the time you need, Miss Farthing."

 

Emily paced for a moment. He was angry when he came to the door. No more than angry, enraged. But he had gotten himself under control by the time she had backed up two steps to see his face. So how did she know he was enraged when all she had to go on was a really sexy chest?  This made no sense.  She needed a drink. Or a cry. Or a nap. Or... something.   When did she start finding chest hair sexy?

 

Actually, that was a good question. That wasn't where her brain had gone first when he opened the door. What else did Dr Cho find on her MRI?  OK, OK. Her choices were either go back to her apartment and sulk or 

 

"Mr Jarvis?  Do you expect there will be beer served at tonight's movie?"

 

"I would expect so, Miss Farthing."

 

"When does that start?"

 

"Shortly, Miss Farthing."

 

"OK. Can you give me directions?"

 

The elevator started again. "Straight out the doors."

 

It wasn't a media room. It was a full sized theatre with armchairs and couches. 

 

"Short stack!  I didn't think you'd join us!"

 

Emily looked at Tony and verbal diarrhea happened, "Well, mon petit chou, it was either this or stay in watching Supernatural and since my spank bank is fully topped up, I decided to what the hell when Mr Jarvis promised me a beer."

 

"What did you call me?"

 

"Umm.  Well at least Steve thinks I'm funny.   I could just go."

 

Some one she hadn't met yet called, "Beer fridge is right over here!"

 

"I'm Clint."

 

"Emily."  She had a long look at the fridge. She looked at a couple of bottles then sighed and took a tonic. 

 

"Gin is over there." said Clint pointing. 

 

"Bless you!"

 

Tony called, "What, you don't like my beer?"

 

"I want a drink, not love in a canoe."

 

"Are you even speaking English now?"

 

"She's speaking English."  Logan said. "American beer is just fucking close to water."

 

Thor rumbled, "I do not understand why you would call Tony your little cabbage."

 

Emily took a swig of her drink. "It's more like cream puff. I thought it paired well with him calling me short stack."

 

"Ah!  And what is a spank bank?"

 

You could have heard a pin drop. 

 

Emily swallowed another gulp of her G&T. "It means masturbation material."

 

"You believed attending this event would be more entertaining than staying home and masturbating?"

 

"Well, I meant more fun than staying home watching attractive men on TV, but I'm starting to think I may have been mistaken."

 

"Surely attractive men in real life are preferable to attractive men on television."

 

"You know," Emily said, conversationally, "I would have thought so. But if I had stayed in, I wouldn't have had equally short people make sarcastic comments about my height and I wouldn't have had to explain human sexuality to a fertility god.  Who may very well be pulling my chain. You know you could make a fortune with holding your blessings for people these days."

 

"I will keep that in mind."

 

Emily found a couch that she could have to herself and stuck a throw pillow under her left elbow. 

 

The movie started.  Logan came and sat on the other end of the couch. He whispered, "How you doing kid?"

 

"Damned if I know.  Right now I am actively choosing not to be embarrassed. But I'm still kinda freaked out that I'm in a room full of super heroes."

 

"How's that going for you?"

 

"Not well."

 

"You did great in the park today."

 

"What? Panicking and launching into profanity laden verbal diarrhea?  That's the closest I get to a super power."

 

"I noticed."

 

"We all noticed."

 

Emily looked around, "Who was that?"

 

"Natasha. I don't think you've met."

 

"Does everyone here have super hearing?"

 

There was a chorus of about five "Yes." Followed by Tony saying "What?" And a number of people laughing. 

 

Emily blushed.  She rubbed her elbow and tried to concentrate on the movie. 

 

"You hurting again?"  Logan asked. 

 

"How can you tell?"

 

"I can smell it."

 

"Great."

 

After a while the combined effects of a long day, emotional turmoil and a stiff gin and tonic caught up to Emily and she gradually slumped to her right. She pulled her feet up on the couch and tucked them against Logan's thigh and fell asleep. 

 

 


	7. Hunting

Victor watched her all the way to the elevator. When the doors closed, he closed his door and seriously considered just leaving her here.  Stark wouldn't kick her out while she was still broken. Jimmy would keep her safe until she found some Puppies. This afternoon had shown that was were she was going to end up. 

 

Why did he even care?  She was nothing to him. 

 

He got dressed and went hunting. 

 

\---

 

Emily woke to the sound of Logan saying, "you can't just carry her to her room.  Walking around with the smell of injured Yennork on you is a good way to end up dead."

 

"What about Mark?" she asked. Thor and Logan turned to look at her. "My physiotherapist?  He's helping my arm but it hurts when he does. Is he at risk of getting dead?"

 

Logan pulled out his phone and the business card from earlier and said, "Time to call and explain."

 

\---

 

Michael Dubh's phone was ringing. He was busy. He didn't know the number. That meant it was either a wrong number or The Black.  The timing was... inconvenient. His prey was right there. 

 

He answered the phone with a growl. The caller gave a slight gasp. A female gasp.  That answered the question.  He was about to disconnect when:

 

"Umm.   Hello?  Is there anyone there?  Fuck. Do werewolves even answer the phone when they are wolves?"

 

A voice in the background said, "I don't know. It might depend on what they are hunting."

 

He considered this. "What can I do for you Miss Emily Go Away and Stop Bothering Me?”

 

“OK.  Uh, look, I’m not really sure how this works, but….  I’m in town getting surgery for my shoulder and someone said it might be dangerous for the people helping me to be walking around smelling like they hurt me, so…  Uh…  I’m not trying to be offensive here but please don’t eat any of my doctors.”

 

Michael considered this.  “Yennork don’t need surgery.”

 

“I don’t know what that means.”

 

“How is it that you don’t know what that means?”

 

“How would I know what that means?”

 

The background voice, that he could now identify as belonging to Mr. Get Lost, explained, “That’s what they call their females.”

 

There was a lot for Michael to think about that she didn’t already know that and needed a feral to explain to her.  This isn't how it was supposed to go.

 

He considered the scene before him.  “Your doctor, late 20’s 5’11 medium brown hair and eyes, American mutt mixed ancestry, likes basketball?”

 

“I think you just described like 12% of the population.”

 

“This one has the stink of your pain on his hands.” 

 

She didn’t reply, but he could hear her breathing increase and she swallowed.

 

Michael continued.  “I’ll deliver him to your den and you can explain how you got yourself into this mess.  Does that sound like a reasonable trade?”

 

Get Lost said, “We accept.”

 

“I am not negotiating with a feral.  It must be her decision.”

 

“Did you hurt him?”

 

“Does it matter?  Do you want him back or not?”

 

“Yes, I want him safe.”

 

Michael walked over to the table and handed the man his phone.  “It’s for you.”

 

The mutt stared at him then took the phone and said, “Hello?”

 

“Mark?  Are you OK?”

 

“Emily? I’m just out for a drink with friends.  What’s going on?”

 

A new male voice came on the line.  “Where are you kid? I’m sending a security to get you.”

 

“Mr Stark?  I’m at a bar.  State and Main.”

 

“They’re on their way.”

 

Michael took the phone back, and wandered toward the front on the bar.  “So, where are we meeting?”

 

It was Stark who answered.  “The lobby of Stark Tower.”

 

“Will your other Feral be joining us?”

 

“Uh.. do you want him too?”

 

“Well, he is clearly also hunting Mark.  If he is off leash, we can put him down for you.”

 

Emily asked “Victor is there too?”

 

“Victor Fuck Off is here as well.” Michael confirmed

 

Emily’s reply surprised him, “That would be Victor Fuckov of the North West Fuckov’s.  Not to be confused with the Albertan Fuckers or the Saskatchewan Fuggits.”

 

Get Lost said, “You’re rambling again.”

 

Emily replied, “I know.  I’m sorry.”

 

Michael gritted his teeth and growled.  “You are Yennork.  Never apologize to a Feral.”

 

A security team bustled in, got Mark, paid and hustled out.  

 

Michael signalled his pack.  “I’m on my way.”

 

—-

 

When they got to Stark Tower, the Yennork was there with her Feral.  They had a table at the coffee bar that was also filled with about 75% humes and 25% other.  Captain America was there.  He probably thought he was fooling someone with his Plain Clothes, but really, if he wanted to pass he should find a t-shirt that didn’t fit like it belonged to his Before Body.

 

Michael and his Sargent sat at the table.  His Beta went and ordered food and tea to send over.

 

“This is where you want to meet?”

 

“It’s a nice well lit public place.”

 

“You aren’t good at this.  There are 28 humes we will have to dispose of if they overhear the conversation.”

 

Emily shivered.

 

“I understand you don’t want me in your den, but usually Alpha’s arrange to meet in a  hotel or conference room or someplace with some privacy.”

 

Stark came over.  “We can use the conference room on the third floor.”

 

Michael looked at him, “We?  Are you certain you wish to involve yourself in this Mr Stark?”

 

“I don’t always make the best decisions, but I brought her here, she’s my responsibility now.”

 

The conference room was empty.   There was a large table and chairs.  One of which had been painted in Iron Man colours.  It even had a light on the back rest that looked like the famous Arc Reactor.  Stark took that seat.  Emily sat on his right and Get Lost sat next to her. Their side of the room filled up with people.  His side of the room looked empty with just him and his five pack members.  He wondered if they realized that even with a Feral, and a team of superheroes, it was just barely evenly matched.

 

“Well?” He asked.

 

Emily explained about the attack and her many surgeries and how she met Victor and the things that led up to her being in this room.

 

Michael considered all of this.  “First thing, we don’t call ourselves werewolves.  We prefer the term Loopers.  Second.  This was never supposed to happen.  I will report this to The Black and the one who bit you will be put down.  He did not report you as missing.  The last nine months of your life would have been avoided if he had.”

 

Here he hesitated.  “I want to examine your wound.  I will be able to tell who bit you but it involves me touching and smelling your shoulder.  I would also like a copy of your medical records for our science division.”

 

Emily just looked at him.  “What’s the black?”

 

Michael was so shocked by the question he didn’t know how to answer.  His Beta, Brin, replied, “He’s like the Looper Pope without the celibacy thing, if the Pope were 1000 years old.”

 

Stark asked, “You have a science division?”

 

Michael replied dismissively, “We aren’t Ferals.  We are well organized.  Once we report, none of your medical team will be at risk from us.  You will want to do something about your off leash Feral, Mr Fuckov, though.”

 

“Will it hurt?”  Emily asked.  “When you examine my shoulder?”

 

Michael hesitated.  “I don’t know.  I won’t be trying to hurt you.”

 

She nodded and got up from the table.  His pack politely got up and backed up to the wall so they wouldn’t crowd her.  She was trembling slightly, but she took the chair next to him, fear rolling off her like waves.  Michael could feel his teeth lengthening in response.

 

“If you can’t control your fear we will wait until you can.”

 

She looked sharply at him.  “The last time I met you, you were trying to abduct me.  The only other wer…  Looper I have met crushed my shoulder and nearly cost me my arm.  Do you think I am ever not going to be afraid of you?”

 

He nodded.  Moving slowly, he pushed up her sleeve. She flinched as soon as he touched her.  He could see the bottom of a surgical scar.  That was wrong.  It should be teeth marks.

 

“Can you take your shirt off, please?”

 

She blushed, but complied.  He couldn’t see any tooth marks, but the surgical scarring was extensive.  He ran his hands over her wounds and the smell of her pain hit him.  He snatched his hands away like he had been burned. Someone was growling low in their throat.

 

“Stop it!” he barked.

 

She flinched again.

 

He leaned in and smelled the wound.  It was wrong.  She smelled almost Yennork but there was no sign of the infection.  He ran his fingers carefully over her bicep.  “Hmmm.  I haven’t ever seen anything like this.  How much of your shoulder did they remove?”

 

One of the Others at the far side of the room replied, “The proximal third of her humerus and the glenoid cavity on her scapula.”

 

“What did you replace it with?  There isn't metal in here.”

 

The Other said “We synthesized replacement cells to match her bio profile.”

 

“Hmmm… Sounds expensive.  What do we owe you?”

 

“Arrangements have been made to cover the cost.”

 

Michael made eye contact with the Other.  “She is one of us.  We are capable of paying for her, Dr ?”

 

“Banner.  Bruce Banner.”  Dr Banner looked away and then left the room.

 

Michael watched him go.

 

Emily asked, “Why are you still rubbing my arm?”

 

He turned his attention back to her.  “Your body is trying to bond with the Ferals.  That is not a good idea.  It needs some re-direction.”

 

She was out of the chair and backing away from him.  “So I can bond with you instead?”

 

He nodded, tilting his head to expose his neck slightly.  “If you like.  Or I can help you find a different pack if there is something you would prefer.  Ferals have different biology.  You are already responding by instinct.  If you were still fully human you would not have been able to move that fast.  Your body will respond as it is being programmed to and the Ferals will not know the correct way to manage that.”

 

Stark asked, “Will she become dangerous?”

 

Emily looked shocked.

 

Michael smiled. “No.  But that you even have to ask shows how unprepared you are for this.  Give her to us and we will take care of her.”

 

“No.”  Emily’s tone brooked no argument.  In that moment, she sounded like a Yennork.

 

Michael stood up. “You know where to reach me when you require assistance.  I will look forward to receiving your medical file.”

 

“I haven't agreed to that.”

 

“You will.  Good night, Emily Go Away and Stop Bothering Me.  It was a pleasure to meet you.”

 

As his pack filed out, Mr Stark asked, “What do you mean, her body will respond as it is being programmed to do?”

 

“Get me a copy of her medical file and I will explain.”

 

And with that, he left.

 

In the elevator, on their way out, Brin said, “The mad Feral is going to end up killing her.”

 

“Then we will kill him.  She is broken, not truly a Yennork, no longer Hume.  I will be interested to see what happens to her.”

 

 


	8. Sense of Smell

Victor watched Mark leave.  Followed closely by the Puppies.  He turned back to the bar and ordered another drink.  He needed something to take the edge off.  Something to fuck or something to kill.

 

A redhead with big tits simpered up to him.  Yeah.  That would do.

 

—-

It was after 3AM by the time Victor rolled into the lobby of Stark tower.  The place was mostly deserted.  The elevator smelled of the whole pack of Puppies, Runt and Emily.  The Puppies were smug, Emily was nervous.

 

Fuck.

 

Well, that solved that problem.  Crash out here tonight.  Eat Stark’s breakfast and be in the wind by noon.

 

Three hours of sleep was really just a nap and when he poured himself a coffee, Thor came over to chat.  Rather than rip the man’s throat out, he gave the more polite response of “Fuck off.”

 

“Ah! You are upset that Emily will not be joining us for breakfast.”

 

“I noticed.”

 

“Fear not!  After she has rested, she may yet join us at lunch.”

 

“Why would she come back for lunch?”

 

“Last night she informed me that, provided Stark does not tease her about being small, it is more fun joining us for social activities than staying home to masturbate.”

 

Victor choked on his coffee.

 

Thor’s little bitch said, “Umm… that’s not exactly what she… oh, never mind.”  She sounded frustrated.  Victor wondered how much time she had spent trying to explain this to him.

 

“Sounds like I missed a hell of a party.  At what point did the Puppies get involved?  Was that before or after you started talking masturbation?”

 

“After.  They came and examined her wounds.  She did not desire to leave with them, lo that they encouraged her to do so.”

 

Victor asked through gritted teeth, “Did they take her anyway?”

 

Thor looked upset, “We would not allow them to do so!”

 

Huh.  His day just got more interesting.

 

—-

 

It was after 10 by the time Emily woke up.  She headed to her bathroom to shit, shower and shave as it were.  Her toothpaste tasted funny this morning, that was weird.

 

The smell of her shampoo had her retching into the toilet.  It was fine yesterday, what the fuck!  Careful testing had her double bagging the shampoo, conditioner, lotion and deodorant.    Oh gods, if she never had to smell that sickly fake floral deodorant again it would be too soon!  She scrubbed up with just water, then got dressed and called the switchboard.

 

Lo and behold, Mr Jarvis answered.

 

“Don’t you ever get a day off?”

 

“No, Ms Farthing.  How may I be of assistance?”

 

“I know I’m not supposed to wander off, but is there someone who can take me to a drug store?  It’s kind of an emergency.”

 

“Are you unwell?  I can arrange for you to see the medical team.”

 

“I don’t think so.  I just suddenly can’t stand the smell of stuff and I need new stuff and I should probably check if I am pregnant or something.”

 

There was a pause.  “Do you have reason to believe that you could be pregnant?”

 

“No, but I had no reason to believe that there might be aliens until they turned up either.”

 

“I will see what I can arrange.”

 

Five minutes later there was a knock on the door.  It was Thor.

 

Emily stared at him in disbelief. “You are going to take me shopping?” 

 

“Aye.  Lady Darcy has given me careful directions to a store for drugs.  I have also acquired a card of credit.”  He brandished it proudly.

 

“OK then.”  Emily got her coat.

 

It turned out there was a Walgreens about five blocks from the Tower.  Emily started gagging as soon as they got to the soap aisle.  She immediately eliminated anything flora or fruit scented.  She found the baby products, but those were only marginally better.

 

Someone was watching her.  Wait, how could she tell?  She looked around and made eye contact with a man who gave her a nod and head tilt before breaking eye contact to consider his shoes.

 

Along with not knowing how she knew he was watching her, she also knew he was a Looper and she was aware of his lust.  She was also aware that she could make a conscious decision to ignore it or… 

 

She ignored it.

 

He came over and handed her a bottle of shampoo.  “You’re Emily, right?  This is about the best you will find here.”  The bottle was unscented natural baby shampoo.  It still smelled off but wasn't nose caking-ly bad.

 

“I haven't met you before, how do you know my name?”

 

“Michael put the word out last night. When did the scent sensitivity start?”

 

“Last night? The first thing that freaked me out was when I was doing laundry.”

 

“You do your own laundry?  No!  Never mind, that isn't the important part.  That was after you met the boys in the park, right?”

 

“This is their fault?”

 

“No…  not exactly.  I’m Simon Svart, by the way.”

 

Simon had packed up shampoo, conditioner, lotion, sunscreen, deodorant, and body wash into a basket and was leading her toward the feminine hygiene aisle.  “You will want to find information about cloth pads before your next cycle.”  He held out a box of pads.  “Smell carefully.”

 

Emily was nearly knocked to her knees. Her eyes watered, her throat and nose burned.

 

“Yeah, sorry about that.  Breathe through your mouth, it will pass.”

 

Thor physically picked her up and carrier her out to the comparatively fresh New York air.  She stood there coughing and wheezing for a few moments.  Simon came out and handed her a bag of stuff.  “This will get you started.  The smell thing will get better as you learn to ignore it.  Feel free to call if you have any questions.”

 

Thor took the bag.  Simon went back into the store.

 

“Are you alright, Emily?”

 

“Yeah, I’ll be OK.”  She shivered.  “Do you think Mr Stark would be willing to buy me a coat?”

 

“I would expect no less of him.”

 

Emily didn’t have a phone, but Thor did.  Thor didn’t know how to use his phone for anything other than calling Jane, but Emily did.  Google showed a TJ Maxx three blocks from the Tower in the other direction.  She tried on a few things, then gave up.

 

“You do not find any of these suitable?”

 

“I never noticed how bad PVC smells before.”

 

“Is there somewhere else we can go?”

 

“I don’t know.  I kinda feel bad running up Mr Stark’s credit card.  I’m pretty sure I spent a month’s rent on clothes yesterday.”

 

Thor gave her the polite look of someone who has never had to budget.

 

Emily sighed, “Let’s head back to the Tower.  It’s not fair for me to make you miss lunch.”

 

—-

 

Emily had a long tub bath and washed her hair. She felt much better afterwards.

 

She was just pulling out stuff to make a grilled cheese sandwich when the phone rang, “Mr Jarvis, I presume?”

 

There was silence.

 

“Why would you presume it was Jarvis?”

 

“Oh!  Um. Hi Mr Stark.  Uh… it’s just that Mr Jarvis is the only one who has ever called me here before."

 

"Do you spend a lot of time talking to Jarvis, Emily?"

"Not really. He calls when I need to do something. It's kinda a joke but whenever I call the switchboard with a question, I end up getting him. He's really helpful. I hope you're paying him well."

 

Tony gave what Emily privately thought of as his mad scientist giggle. She was pretty sure it was an "I'm smarter than you" laugh.   "You planning on joining us for lunch?"

 

Emily considered this carefully before she answered. "I'm pretty sure last night proved I'm not ready for the grown up's table Mr Stark."

 

"How old are you, Emily?"

 

"I'm twenty two, Mr Stark."

 

"And what do you want to be when you grow up?"

 

Emily bristled at the question but the man had arranged for her to keep her arm so, "Well, I was a waitress for four years while I saved up for school. Then I was three months into the electrician program when... I was no longer able to continue."

 

"Waitress, huh?  Parents couldn't help you out with school?"

 

There was a long moment of silence before she answered that. "My parents died when I was 19.  There was a snow drift that blocked the chimney and they passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning."

 

This time the silence was on Tony's end. "I'm sorry to hear that."

 

"Thank you, Mr Stark.  Is there anything else I can help you with?"

 

"One minute."  There was the sound of a hand covering the phone and a muffled voice saying, "get her to come to lunch."  Then the sound of the phone being passed around. Then:

 

"Hi Emily, Dr Banner here. Please come to lunch. Tony ordered sushi."

 

Emily rolled her eyes. "OK."

 

"OK. See you soon."

 

"Dr Banner?  Can you tell Mr Stark to just tell me to come to lunch next time instead of trying to be subtle about what he needs me to do?"

 

“I’ll try.”

 

 


	9. Sushi

Emily climbed on the elevator and asked, "Are you there Mr Jarvis?"

 

"Always, Ms Farthing."

 

"I've never had sushi before.  Is there anything I need to know so I don't embarrass myself?"

 

"I would suggest just admitting that and following Sir's lead."

 

"Mr Stark ...  I always feel like I'm ...  I just don't know what to do with him."

 

"A sentiment Ms Potts expresses almost daily."

 

Emily decided that since technically Dr Banner had invited her she would sit next to him and just try to keep up.  However, her plans were somewhat derailed when the elevator stopped on the wrong floor.

 

“Mr Jarvis?  This isn’t the …  dinning room?”  She could not bring herself to refer to it as the Freaks and Geeks Cafe, as Victor had.

 

“Sir is requesting you join him and Dr Banner in the 3rd science lab.  If you will proceed to your left and continue all the way to the end of the hall, the entrance will be on your right.”

 

The Lab was behind glass doors.  Through them Emily could see a couple of large robots that wouldn’t look out of place in a car factory, two or three huge workstations and Mr Stark bouncing animatedly around the room.  OK, then.

 

She knocked.  Dr Banner waved her in.

 

“I’ve never had sushi before.  I will need some direction.”

 

“What?”  Tony sounded shocked.

 

“I was born and raised in a land locked town where the primary employer is a pulp mill.  It’s amazing the amount for fresh seafood we completely fail to get.”  She took a deep breath.  “I’m sorry.  I am not trying to be rude.  I’m just feeling vaguely inadequate again.”

 

“You will be fine,” Tony said handing her a set of chopsticks. The look of panic she gave them was extremely obvious.  “Have you ever used chopsticks before?”

 

“Not well, and I don’t think I can open those until I have some more range of motion in my left hand.”

 

“How is your left side feeling?” Dr Banner asked.

 

“It’s loosened up a lot overnight, my pain level is down to about a 3 or 4 as compared to a 8 or 9 when I got here.  I was thinking it might be helpful to do the hot and cold soak in this afternoon again.  I hate the cold tub, but it seems like it really helps.

 

“Is there a sink where I can wash my hands?  And how do you feel about me using a fork?”

 

Bruce showed her the sink and watched as she washed awkwardly, holding her left arm to her body.  “I didn't ever think about how much a person uses their shoulder joint until I watched you adapting so you wouldn't have to.”

 

“Mark keeps telling me that it took nine months for my left arm to atrophy, I can’t expect results overnight.  But it is still frustrating trying to not jostle it.  How is Mark by the way?”

 

“He’s fine.”  Tony said, “He has the day off, he’ll be back working with you tomorrow.  Thor said you need a coat.”

 

Emily blushed.  “I can’t just keep asking you for things.  I’m sure I have already run up hundreds of thousands of dollars in surgery costs.”

 

“Well, yes, but at that point what’s another grand between friends?”

 

Emily choked a little.  “Mr Stark, I can not spend that much on a coat!  I would get stabbed for it when I go back to my apartment next year.”

 

He and Bruce seemed surprised by that.  “What?”  She asked.  “I may have traded a year of my time to Victor for the surgery, but I’m not expecting happily ever after.  You are hardly going to let me free load for the rest of my life and the werewolves are way too scary for me to want to end up with them.  I want to get better, settle my debt, probably work some menial job for a couple of years to save up for school, again, then get on with my life.”

 

Tony considered this as he had a shot of sake.  “Burning desire to be an electrician?”

 

“Burning desire to have a reliable job that will let me pay rent and buy groceries.  I’m tired of having to pick one.”

 

Bruce said, “You don't have to go with Victor.”

 

“He held up his end of the deal;  he got me here.  And if he is training with you, then it looks like he is honouring his arrangement with you for my treatment.  As long as I make it out of this with all my arms and legs attached, I will call that a win.”

 

Emily ate a piece of sushi in silence.  “That was good.  I’m kind of afraid to ask what it was.”

 

“Eel.” said Tony.

 

“Huh.  Dr Banner, can you tell me what you found on my MRI?  It seemed like there was something going on yesterday.”

 

“We don’t really know anything yet.  Some of your internal organ placement was a bit unusual, but still within the normal range.  We don't have any before images to compare.”

 

“I feel like there is a but coming.”

 

“But they are consistent with the variations we have seen in the other shape shifter we have scanned.”

 

“Oh?  You have MRI’s of werewolves?”

 

“Umh, no.  Of the Hulk.  Well, when he’s not all…. Hulk.”

 

There was a moment of silence while they all considered this.  

 

Emily spoke next.  “My sense of smell has… I don’t know if I can say gotten better, but the smell of laundry detergent, and shampoo became painful in the last day or so.  Eyes watering, coughing, nausea causing today but yesterday morning it was fine.  The looper we ran into at Walgreens said I’ll get used to it, but for now it’s pretty bad.”

 

They ate in silence for a few minutes.  Then Tony said, “When you are ready to go back to school, I’ll pay your tuition.”

 

“Thank you Mr Stark, but you don’t have to do that.”

 

“No, but I want to.  In the meantime, how do you feel about being an intern around here?”

 

“I don’t mind, but don’t I need a green card or something?  I told the border guy that I was here for surgery.”

 

“I’ll just get Pepper to take care of it.”

 

“Do you have many jobs for a one armed, untrained labourer?”

 

“Well, that’s the point of an internship.  You get training.”

 

“Thank you, Mr Stark.”

 

“Call me Tony.”

 

—-

 

In the elevator back down to her floor, Emily asked, “Still there Mr Jarvis?”

 

“Always, Ms Farthing.”

 

“What are Logan and Victor up to today?”

 

“Mr Howlett was called back to Westchester.  Mr Creed seems to be staying in his rooms.”

 

“That’s why Thor took me shopping this morning?”

 

“Yes.  I’m afraid the current short list for people who can escort you either offsite or with Mr Creed is limited to Mr Odinson, Dr Banner or a combination of any two of Captain Rogers, Agent Romanov and Agent Barton.”

 

“Dr Banner?  That seems an odd choice.”

 

“The team believe he is up for the task.”

 

"OK.  I'll try to just stay out of the way." Emily thought for a moment. "Mr Jarvis?”

 

“One moment please.”

 

The elevator stopped.  It was more than a moment.  Eventually, the elevator started again and Jarvis said, “My apologies for the service disruption, Ms Farthing, I would encourage you to return to your rooms at this point.”

 

“Is everything OK?”

 

“Yes, Ms Farthing.  There is just a Priority One Event in progress.”

 

“I don't understand what that means.”

 

“The Avengers have been deployed.”

 


	10. Apres Party

Emily watched on the news.  It was an hour before anything hit the news cycle.  There was a mutant uprising in Suriname.  It was one of those unfortunate things where the human population had systematically oppressed the mutant population for the last dozen or so years and now the mutants were fighting back.  The Avengers had been called in by the government to try to break it up.

 

There was grainy news footage of the Avengers in action.  Victor was there. The announcer spent more time speculating on who he was than talking about the underlying politics of the area.  Emily read the Wikipedia article and then tried to find CBC News World in the thousand channels available.  

 

She was still up at 2am when the matter was settled enough for the Avengers to be sent home.

 

She was in bed but still vaguely awake at 4am when they arrived at the Tower.  The phone in her room rang.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Ms Farthing?  Would you be willing to see Mr Creed at this time?  I can tell him you are unavailable.”

 

“Is he coming to my room or do I need to go out?”

 

“It would be easiest if you could join the team in the lounge.”

 

Emily considered this, then pulled on a pair of yoga pants from out of the closet and threw a blanket sweater on over her tank top.  Wrapping herself up, she headed to the elevators.

 

The team looked fairly battered.  Victor headed in her direction as soon as he spotted her.  Thor stepped between them and said something to Victor that had him right pissed off.

 

The red headed woman came up to Emily. “You don’t have to do this.”

 

“I don’t know what ‘this’ is Ms-“

 

“I’m Natasha.  He fought well today, but when we were loading up afterwards he demanded you.”

 

Emily looked sharply at Natasha, “Demanded me for what?”

 

“He said that he hasn’t seen you since Logan left.  He accused Tony of keeping you from him at lunch yesterday.”

 

“So..he’s tired and angry and you are throwing me to the wolves?”

 

“No.  But he is tired and angry and hungry and I am asking you to feed the Sabretooth.”  She handed Emily a carton of ice cream.  Butter pecan, two spoons.

 

Emily went and sat next to Victor on the couch.  He was having a glaring match with Thor.  She tried to crack open the ice cream and wasn’t able to do it with one hand.  “Can you get this for me?”  She asked, holding the carton out to Victor.  He took it, opened it and handed it back without breaking eye contact with Thor.  Emily was impressed.  She took a spoonful, gave a little sigh of enjoyment and leaned back into the couch, her legs in cobbler’s pose, the ice cream resting on her ankles.  This had her right knee against his thigh.  She had another spoonful of ice cream and considered him.

 

“I was in bed, you know.  Jarvis got me up to see you but if you are going to just stare at Thor…  Well, should I go back to sleep, so that you two can get a room?”

 

Thor laughed.  Victor pulled her into his lap.  She hissed in pain as her shoulder jostled.  That broke whatever spell was going on.  Victor immediately focused all his attention on her.  He opened his mouth to ask about her shoulder, but she popped a spoonful of ice cream in.

 

“Eat first.  You can talk to me when you are less hangry.”

 

Victor took another spoonful of ice cream and asked, “What is hangry?”

 

“When you are grumpy and irrational because of hunger.”

 

“I am not grumpy and irrational!”

 

“Uh huh.  Can I go find you a steak?”

 

“No!”

 

“Are you sure?  The concierge service is so good, I can’t imagine there isn’t a five star chef on standby to prepare post mission snacks.  We should be able to find you something blue rare with a side of mushrooms … and a creamy blue cheese sauce…. and rum roasted pineapple for dessert.  Damn it!  Now I’m hungry.  Why are we eating ice cream?  There should at least be a  [ two four ](http://whatsdifferentincanada.tumblr.com/post/51613836472/two-four) and pizza.”  Emily just kept shovelling ice cream into Victor as she monologued.

 

Clint had been sitting where he could watch her and he asked, “A what and pizza?’

 

Emily looked at Victor, he shrugged and took over running the ice cream spoon.

 

“Truly, I am living amongst heathens.  A two four is a box of 24 beer that is served with pizza or burgers at scruffy gatherings.  Like after a  [ Riders game ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskatchewan_Roughriders) or something.”

 

“Riders game?”

 

“Canadian football, I hate to say it, but the worst team in the league with the most devoted fans.”

 

Clint snorted, “Canadian football!” he said dismissively.

 

“Hey!   [ Our balls are bigger ](http://theotherpress.ca/our-balls-are-bigger/) .”  Victor had reached the bottom of the carton by this point.  “Feel better?” Emily asked.

 

He grunted.

 

“Well, my work here is done!  Good night everyone!”  She went to stand up, Victor did not let go.

 

“If I’m going out on missions, I want you here when I get back.”

 

“Does the year start now then?”

 

He leaned in and sniffed her neck.  “No.  Not yet.”

 

“Then you let me sleep and go to physiotherapy and all the things I need to do to get better.”

 

“I want to take you for steak and mushrooms and blue cheese sauce and…. whatever that thing with the pineapple rum was.”

 

“I put Jarvis on it.” Tony said.

 

Emily just ignored that. “I want you to at the very least warn me before you grab me.  Of course, you know, actually  _ asking _ would be even better.”

 

“Hmm.”  He nuzzled her face.

 

“Ugh.  Let me go right now!”

 

Thor and Dr Banner stepped up, Victor squeezed her tighter for a moment, then let go. Emily squirmed out of his arms and headed to the elevator.    Victor followed, then put in a hand on her right hip and pulled her to the left of the elevator caging her against the wall with his arms.

 

“Today I fought on the side of those who would exterminate people like me.  I fought so that they could continue to treat those of us who can’t pass as human as animals instead of people.  I did that so that you can live here and get health care.”  He was snarling. 

 

Thor pulled him off her. The elevator opened. Emily considered this. 

 

"You asked for a year of my time. How did you see that going?"

 

Victor looked at her. 

 

"Well?" she demanded.  "If it was chain me to a bed and torture me for a year, you wouldn't have bothered getting my arm fixed.  None of my neighbours would have stopped you from just dragging me from my apartment.  So, what do you want from me?"

 

"I want to lick every inch of you until you are begging me to fuck you."

 

"How exactly do you see that happening when you keep doing things to scare me?  Non consensual touching is not sexy." 

 

They stood there glaring at each other. 

 

Then Jarvis said, "If you could step away from the elevators, dinner has arrived."

 

Victor backed up, the doors of the next elevator opened, catering staff delivered food.  Emily got on the elevator.

 

“Stay!” Victor commanded.

 

“I have an appointment in three hours and need a nap.  Besides, you aren’t happy with your assignments, so you need to discuss that with your co-workers.”  Emily held the elevator door with a  thoughtful look on her face then said, “You are a hundred and twenty years older than me, Victor, so I can’t believe I have to tell you this.  You need to grow up.”

 

The doors closed before he could reply.

 

 

 


	11. Hide and Seek

 

Emily woke to find Natasha shaking her awake. “What... why are you in my bedroom?" 

 

"Get up get dressed. Physiotherapy has been moved to after lunch and we need to get you a different outfit. Nothing you have is suitable, you are taking the minimalist wardrobe thing too far. Victor's reaction to you telling him to grow up will keep me warm on cold nights for years to come. Psychological warfare starts now and you need to be dressed for it."

 

“I’m not cut out for psychological warfare.  I am way too prone to crying.”

 

Natasha stopped to consider this.  “I can work with that.”  Emily got out of bed.  “Do you always sleep in a tank top and panties?”

 

Emily blushed.  “I wasn't expecting guests.”  She headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

 

“Can I upgrade you to some camisoles?”

 

“Maybe.  As long as they don’t have itchy lace or anything.”

 

“Are you still in the sensory overload stage?”

 

Emily peeked out of the bathroom with a toothbrush in her mouth.  “How do you know about that?”

 

“I… know a few things.  It takes a few weeks, but it will pass.”

 

“Can we talk about this when it has?  I want a day off.  Or at least a day with no drama and no super heroes where I can just be a normal patient getting normal physiotherapy and try to pretend I’m still human.”

 

Natasha bristled at that a little. “Of course you are still human!  It’s just that now you are a little enhanced.”

 

“Yeah, well, this is all overwhelming.  I need to take a mental health day before I can go shopping, again. Or face Victor.  I know I need to apologize, I just want a few days to work up to it.”

 

“You don't have to apologize.  He was out of line.”

 

“Yeah, but sometimes it’s easier to just apologize and get past something than to actually try to fix the person who is the problem.”

 

“He could be your problem for a whole year.”

 

“It’s only a year.  I’ve spent almost that amount of time wobbling around with only one good arm.  I’m going to be in the tower, so if he ends up killing me, at least it will be quick.”

 

“Not funny, Emily.”

 

“I’m not laughing, Natasha.  Look, I meant it when I said I needed a hero free day.  I need you to leave.  We can discuss warfare wardrobe tomorrow.  Or the day after that.  Just, please go.”

 

“Fine.  You can have Jarvis call me when you are ready.”

 

Emily considered this as she finished her shower.  Then she called switchboard and was unsurprised to get Jarvis.  “So… Some woman just broke into my apartment.  Or at least the apartment Mr Stark has given me while I’m staying here.”

 

“Yes, Ms Farthing.   I’m afraid that Agent Romanov is a super spy.  She tends to ignore locked doors.”

 

“You said you could control the elevators so that I didn’t end up riding with random strangers, right?  Is there any way to keep the heroes out of my apartment?  I mean, I know Mr Stark is your boss and I don’t want to get you in trouble but… Is there anything you can do?”

 

There was an unusually long pause.  “You want me to prevent the Avengers from having access to you?”

 

“Yes.  Sorry.  When you put it like that-“

 

“For how long?”

 

“I don’t know.  A few days would be nice.”

 

“I accept.  It will be greatly facilitated if you allow me access to your apartment while you are at your appointment this morning.”

 

“Umm… OK.  Just don’t, you know, go through my underwear drawer or anything.”

 

“It will be like I was never here.”

 

——

 

Emily got dressed, made an omelette for lunch and still had time to wash the dishes before getting to her appointment with Mark on time.

 

While she was riding in the elevator, Jarvis asked, “Is there anything you brought with you to which you are especially attached?”

 

Emily blushed.  “Um.. the ratty wool blanket and my grungy frying pan.  They’ve been in the family awhile.”

 

There was a moment of silence before Jarvis asked, “Is there anything else?”

 

Emily considered this.  The quilt Victor had bought her was warm, but she didn't really need that in the tower.  “Yeah.  I don’t have any real sentimental attachment to my thrift store finds.”

 

“Thank you, Ms Farthing.  I will have everything ready by the time your appointment is finished.  Is there anything special you would like for supper?”

 

“No, thank you.  I’ll figure something out.”

 

Mark was very happy with how things were going, but it still seemed like almost no change to Emily.  “You can't see it because you are too close,” he said. “Trust me, you are making amazing progress.” When they were finished, Emily spent some time in the hot and cold tanks then got a massage and was dead on her feet when she got onto the elevator.

 

“Ms Farthing, if you could collect your blanket and pan from your apartment and return to the elevator, I will hold the doors for you.”

 

“What is going on, Jarvis?”

 

“An elaborate game of hide and seek, Ms Farthing.”

 

Once she was back on the elevator, there was a short trip and the doors opened onto a floor that looked identical to the one she just left.  “What is going on?”

 

“Just go to the same unit, your thumb will open the door.”

 

When she did, she stepped into a clone of the apartment she had just left.  She looked around then called the desk.  

 

Jarvis answered.  

 

“What is going on?” Emily asked.

 

“Welcome to your apartment.  If you make any video calls or receive any visitors, they will believe they are in your original apartments.  If any of the heroes go to visit you, I will direct them to the empty one downstairs.  I couldn’t direct them here, Mr.’s Creed and Howlett would be able to tell if they were in the wrong apartment.”

 

“So if they go looking for me, I’m not there.”

 

“Precisely.  Plus, I can route the HVAC so that the room one floor down still smells like you.”

 

“OK.  Thank you.”

 

Emily had salad and a sandwich for supper, watched an episode of Supernatural and tucked into a bed that smelled of unscented laundry soap and one of the housekeepers.

 

The next morning, she went to one of the on site gyms and ran on the treadmill and spent the afternoon reading in her room.

 

The day after that, water therapy started.  It included swimming something called the elementary backstroke.  Emily went in circles and found it hugely frustrating.  She was on her way back to her room, when her elevator stopped and Jarvis asked to please wait for a moment.  It was closer to five before she started moving again.  “What’s going on Jarvis?”

 

“Mr Creed is becoming increasingly agitated at your absences.  However, Mr Stark has not ordered me to produce you yet, so we should be ok for another few days.”

 

Emily nodded.  She slept hard that night.

 

In the morning, the phone rang, “Ms Farthing, if you are up to an outing, I believed it would be advantageous to be seen by someone on the team today.  Would you allow Agent Romanov to take you shopping?”

 

“I don’t like shopping. I mean, I will if I have to, but is there someone who can take me to a museum or something instead.”

 

“I’ll see what I can do.  I’m afraid you will need to attend breakfast with the team this morning.  There was an incident last night.”


	12. Withholding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the beginning of the work, I talk about taking away some of Emily's basic needs. I completely see Victor as acting in a level one needs way. He is motivated by air food, water, shelter and sex and doesn't actually care too about safety (because he can't die) or family (because of his background, he doesn't believe that is a real thing).
> 
> I think this goes a long way to explaining his relationship with Logan and also some of his personality quirks.
> 
> Social belonging is right out.

 

“It’s been three days!”

 

“Relax, Creed.  She isn't going anywhere.  Besides, you were pretty rude there.  Next time at least pretend you are making requests.” Natasha said airily.

 

“They were requests!”

 

“They were demands and you know it!”

 

“Natasha?  Can you go sit down for a moment?  Watching Victor shout at you is making me uncomfortable.”  

 

They both turned to look at Bruce.

 

Natasha went and sat on one of the couches.  “I’m a trained killer and having you yell at me makes people uncomfortable.  She's just a kid.  Imagine how she feels.”

 

Logan snorted.  “Not a winning argument, Red.  He likes the smell of their fear.”

 

Victor shook his head.  “Not hers.”  Then he left.

 

——

 

This was ridiculous!  He should just fuck her, get it out of his system and move on.    Hell, did he even need to fuck her?  Whatever she had between her legs wasn’t going to be that special.  Just move on.

 

Except he couldn’t.  And damned if he understood why he couldn’t.

 

He stormed out of the tower and went drinking.  He picked a couple of fights, but didn’t bother killing anyone.  Women were not that hard to get.  Victor tried on a couple, sending them home with bruises and scratches.  

 

He rolled back into Stark Tower around 2 am and took the stairs to the eleventh floor.  He banged on Emily’s door.  There was no answer.  He pulled out a gun and shot through the door lock and pushed his way in.

 

It was her apartment, he could smell her here.  The pillow on the bed smelled like her, but she hadn’t slept there in days.  Victor snarled and flipped the bed.

 

Thor rushed in followed closely by Tony in full armour.

 

“Where is she!?” Victor demanded.

 

Thor looked confused.  Tony felt confused.  “Jarvis, where is Emily?”

 

“Miss Farthing has some concerns about her security after there was a break into her apartment four days ago.  At her request, I relocated her elsewhere in the building.”

 

“What?” Victor was livid.

 

“I didn’t see a report of a break in." Tony said.

 

“It was Agent Romanov, sir.”

 

“Where is she?”  Victor roared.

 

Thor stepped between Tony and Victor and tightened his grip on his hammer.

 

“Jarvis?”

 

“Sir, I have visuals on Miss Farthing, but she is currently asleep after a long day of medical appointments.  Mr. Creed is perhaps not in the best state of mind to-“

 

Victor turned and stormed out.

 

“You owe me a door!”  Tony called.

 

Victor ripped the door off the hinges and threw it at him.

 

Fuck!  Fuck!  He needed someone to kill!  He went to the training room and proved that it whether or not it was Hulk proof, wasn’t really Victor proof.

 

Three hours later, Jarvis interrupted him.  “Mr.  Creed?  Miss Farthing will be joining the team for breakfast this morning.  You may want to take some time to get cleaned up before going to join them.”

 

Victor snarled and headed to the elevator and punched the button.

 

“Sir?”  Jarvis interrupted.  “Miss Farthing is experiencing a significant amount of scent sensitivity just now.  You will be less distressing to her if you shower before first.”

 

Victor sniffed.  Sweat, cigarette smoke, whiskey, sex, someone else’s blood.  “Fine.”

 

“I have taken the liberty of having unscented products sent to your room.”

 

“You sent people into my room?” Victor demanded.

 

“They are waiting outside your door.”

 

Victor grunted and nodded.  The elevator opened.  “You watching my girl?”

 

“Always, Mr Creed.  I am taking good care of Miss Farthing.”

 

Victor nodded. “You just keep her safe from me and we'll get along fine.”

 

Jarvis noted that Victor had said 'safe from me’ not ‘safe for me.’  That was an interesting choice of words.

 

——

 

The Runt could suck his claws back into his hands when they weren’t needed. Victor could not.  It meant that he either needed to pay close attention in the shower to avoid scratching himself or he had to just accept that he was leaving the shower a little bloody.  He usually didn’t care enough to make the effort, but….  no point in scaring the Frail if she could smell the blood on him now.

 

Cleaned and dried, he dug through his pile of laundry to find the least offensive smelling items.

 

“Would you like me to arrange housekeeping, Mr Creed?”

 

Victor grunted.  “Make sure they are gone by the time I’m done dinner.”

 

He froze as he got off the elevator.  She was already sitting near one end of the table with a coffee and a bowl of oatmeal.  She looked better than the last time he saw her.  More rested, more relaxed, that would last about thirty seconds after he sat down.  So, he had better plan what he was going to say when he did.

 

Yeah.

 

Um.

 

Fuck.

 

Stark wandered by, “You’re staring.  If you want to get the girl, maybe try to be a little less creepy.”

 

Victor growled.

 

“Not the approach I would have taken. But, hey, it plays to your cliche, right?”

 

Victor went to get food.  Natasha happened to be standing next to him.  “Thank her for seeing you after the last mission.  She got up at three am to feed you ice cream, that is worth acknowledging.”

 

“You broke into her apartment.”

 

“So did you.  You brought a gun.  What would have happened if she had actually been in there, do you think?”

 

Victor ignored her.  It wasn’t bad advice, he just had to think about how to say it.  He helped himself to eggs and bacon and went to sit down next to her.  “I was pleased to see you after the last mission.  I did not want you to leave.”

 

She nodded without looking at him.  “I googled you after that.”

 

For the first time in decades, Victor Creed felt a slight prickle of fear in his heart. The Runt’s head jerked up and he was suddenly staring at them.  

 

“And?”

 

“And I know you weren’t happy about helping end the uprising in Suriname, but in the last few days they have started working towards a more equitable government.”

 

“Anything else?”

 

“That was the first time you had ever put your hands on me, and it was when you were so tired you were barely coherent, so I’m not sure how much of the rest is real and how much is propaganda.”

 

Victor didn’t say anything to that.  Runt however wasn’t even pretending not to eavesdrop and couldn’t hide his surprise.  “I’m glad you came for breakfast.  I enjoy eating with you.”

 

Emily tensed.  “I don’t belong here, Victor.”

 

“And I do?” he demanded. It came out louder than he intended.

 

“Yeah!  You and all the other superheroes, eating your six dozen eggs before going off to save the world!”

 

“You think I’m a superhero?”

 

“You pushed a school bus out of the way of a suicide bomber!  That’s pretty damn superhero to me!”

 

“Huh.”  He forced himself to relax.  “You seeing the guy who hurts you today?”

 

“Mark?  No.  Mr Jarvis was going to arrange for someone to take me to MOMA today.”  She hesitated for a moment.  “Wanna come with?”

 

He shrugged.  No.  He didn’t, but it was the first time she had invited him anywhere.

 

“Sure.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ran out of steam on this work about where Victor says he doesn't enjoy the smell of Emily's fear. I got a comment about this being American bashing (which wasn't how I was trying to write it) and so I took it down.
> 
> It could be resurrected with some positive feedback....


	13. MOMA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Lady Darcy. Thanks for the encouragement!

They took two cars to Museum Of Modern Art. Emily, Natasha and Clint in one and Victor, Logan and Steve in the other.  There was much swearing from Victor about this arrangement, but Natasha wasn't backing down.  When they got there, the museum was reasonably empty.  It was the off season, and a mid week day.  There was a school tour a few galleries ahead of them, but Steve was explaining things to Emily, so they never really caught up. 

 

As they were walking, though, people slowly were added to their group until there were quite a number of bodies around them. Someone got quite close to Emily at one point, trying to get a better look at a sculpture.  Emily took a step back.  She wandered over to where Victor was standing, looking bored.  

 

“Can I hold your hand?”  she whispered. 

 

He gave her a look. 

 

She blushed and looked at the floor. “Only, you said at breakfast that time that I could touch you if I asked first.”

 

Victor carefully took her hand.  It felt tiny in his. Emily was trembling a little. 

 

“Are you ok?” he asked. She didn't smell afraid, exactly, but something was wrong.   Victor frowned and looked at their audience. 

 

“I really want to see the rest of the museum, but the room is full of loopers and it's making me uncomfortable.”  She said this in a low whisper, but immediately three quarters of the people in the gallery left. 

 

Clint looked around, obviously confused. “What just happened?” he asked. 

 

Natasha said something in ASL. Steve said, “I'm glad you are enjoying the tour, Emily.”

 

She blushed, but didn't let go of Victor’s hand. 

 

She was still holding it more than an hour later when they stopped for lunch.  Tony had gotten them reservations at The Modern. 

 

Emily wished she had let Natasha take her shopping.  She didn’t look nearly as out of place as Logan in his lumberjack chic, but she still wasn’t living up to the dress code.  Natasha looked amazing, as always.  Victor blended in, wearing all black.  Clint looked reasonable dapper in a button down shirt.  Emily was in jeans and t-shirt.  After six months of continuous wear, the boots Victor had gotten her were decidedly worn.

 

Victor ordered duck.  Emily had risotto.  Clint and Logan had fried chicken.  Natasha and Steve had the sea bass.  Emily did some quick mental math and realized lunch was going to cost more than a month’s rent back home.  She had never had risotto before.  She would likely never be able to afford to have it again, but it was amazing.  Natasha had ordered her a glass of white wine and the whole meal was the best thing Emily had ever eaten.

 

After lunch, Steve asked if Emily was up to seeing the rest.

 

“Um…  I’m not sure about all of it.  Maybe another couple of hours?”

 

Steven nodded solemnly, “OK.  Then I have to show you my favourites.”

 

It turned out Steve’s favourites were Cezanne.  Emily listened to him gush for a while.  When he finally stopped to ask what she thought, she blushed hard.

 

“I like his still lifes.”

 

“What about the landscapes?”

 

Emily avoided eye contact.  “The landscapes are fine, but…. All the buildings are … wrong, somehow. I mean, maybe they are crooked in real life, because they are old or whatever.  It just makes me feel like I’m leaning to the side or they were hung crooked or he was drunk or something.”

 

Steve frowned.

 

“Sorry.”

 

Steve shook his head.  “How do you feel about Van Gogh?”

 

“I would like to see some while I’m here.”

 

Steven nodded and led them off in another direction.  Victor came up behind her and took her hand again.  He gave it a gentle squeeze.  “Cezanne was definitely on something.” he said.

 

Emily flashed a quick smile.  They followed Steve.

 

——

 

The cars came to take them back to the tower. Emily rode with Natasha and Clint. 

 

“Did you know that would make them leave?” Clint asked. 

 

Emily shook her head, “I hoped it would since last time he got them to leave.” 

 

“So…. Victor, huh?”  Clint said in an off hand manner. 

 

“I’ve barely met you.  Natasha broke into my apartment while I was sleeping.  The first time I met Logan, he yelled at me and called me a stupid bitch. Steve is just….  I get the impression that in a fight, the safest place to stand is behind Victor.”  Emily seemed to crumple in on herself at that. 

 

“Well, I can’t actually fault that logic,” Clint said.

 

“Were you expecting there to be a fight?" Natasha asked.

 

Emily shrugged her right shoulder.  “The first time I met loopers they tried to get me to go with them.  I don’t know what to expect.”

 

“How's the shoulder?” Natasha wanted to know.

 

“It’s… a lot better, but the whole arm is stiff and … it hurts.  Not nearly as much as before Victor arranged for me to get surgery, but it still hurts.”

 

They rode in silence for a moment.  Then Clint asked, “You really just whispered that they were making you uncomfortable and they all just left?”

 

Emily nodded and turned her head to the window. “Most of them.  There were three bachelors that stayed.  I don’t think it was what I said as much as it was me taking Victor’s hand.”

 

Clint was curious, “How do you know they were bachelors?”

 

“The ones that left smelled like families.  There was the popcorn family, the curry family, the bakery family, and the oregano family.  The ones who stayed didn’t match the smells of any of those.  Or each other.”

 

“How is the scent sensitivity going?"  Natasha asked.

 

“It’s-“  Emily stopped and thought for a moment, “I don’t know that it's better, but I think I’m getting better at ignoring it.  It is still kind of overwhelming.”

 

“Can you smell everyone like that or just the loopers?”

 

Emily turned to look at Natasha.  “Your shampoo is hibiscus and rose hip.  Clint uses an anti dandruff shampoo.  None of that is as bad as the woman at the desk who was swimming in old lady perfume-“

 

“Chantel Number Five.” Natasha said, helpfully.

 

Emily nodded, “-but I’m more aware of the loopers.”

 

“And Victor?”

 

Emily gave another one shoulder shrug.  “Not too bad today.  Logan reeks of cigars, though, so he might just be better by comparison.”

 

Clint smirked and asked, “What does Steve smell like?”

 

Emily replied, “Ivory laundry detergent and my grampa's shaving soap.”

 

Clint had a good laugh at that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make the writing happen!


	14. Experiment

It wasn’t really physical exhaustion as much as it was complete overstimulation.  Either way, Emily had to drag her ass out of the car and into the tower.  All six on them boarded the elevator.

 

“Mr Jarvis?”

 

“Yes, Miss Farthing?”

 

“Thank you for organizing the field trip for me.  I had a really nice time.”

 

“You are most welcome, Miss Farthing.  Mr Stark would like to see you when you have a moment.”

 

Emily considered this.  She really wanted a few minutes to hide and decompress, but if she got off the elevator first, everyone would know which floor she was hiding on.  “I have time now, Mr Jarvis.  If Mr Stark isn’t too busy.”

 

“I will let him know you are on your way.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

This meant that instead of being the first off the elevator, she was last.  Everyone else got off at the kitchen level.  Emily waited as the doors closed. Then she turned and pressed her face into her hands.

 

“Do you need a moment, Miss Farthing?”

 

“No, Mr Jarvis, let’s just get this over with.”

 

Mr Stark was doing something with a welding torch.  There was a guitar solo blaring over the stereo.  It turned off moments after Emily opened the door to the work room.   Tony turned to look at her and then turned off the torch.

 

“What can I do for you kid?”

 

“Thank you for lunch, Mr Stark.  It was wonderful.”

 

“Did you really get the flannel twins to go to MOMA?”

 

“Yes?”

 

Tony absolutely cackled.  “Movie night tonight, sweet pea.  You aren’t ditching us again.”

 

Emily sighed.  “OK.”

 

“You don’t sound thrilled.”

 

“It was a big day.  I was looking forward to some quiet time with a book and my pyjamas.”

 

“Great idea!  Jarvis!  Tell everyone movie night dress code is now onesies!”

 

Emily stared at him.  “Um…  not really, right?”

 

Tony had been in the process of trying to figure out how to get everyone Iron Man onesies by that evening. “Uh, no, not really.”  He picked up a wrench and started adjusting something on his project.

 

Emily relaxed a little.

 

Tony watched her for a moment, absentmindedly tightening a bolt then reaching for a flange of some sort.  “Would you be up to calling Michael?”

 

“MIchael who?”

 

“The werewolf who wanted your medical file.  There are some things we need to know.”

 

“I don’t want to give him my personal information.”

 

“I can understand that.  We just want you to ask him about pheromones.”

 

“I’m pretty sure that’s just an internet myth, Mr Stark.  A way to sell body spray to teenage boys.”

 

Tony shook his head and waved a wrench in her direction.  “Something is going on with your sense of smell.  We need to know what.  Plus, if you are getting better at detecting smells, it is reasonable to assume there are smells you need to be aware of.  Or that you are giving off smells that others can detect.”

 

“That’s why the gallery filled up with loopers today.”

 

“That’s my guess, kid.”

 

“OK.  I’ll call him.”

 

——

 

The Runt was waiting in the lobby when Victor got back.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Victor ignored him.  Runt grabbed his arm.  “You think she isn’t going to smell the cheap hooker on you?”

 

“I’ll wash before dinner.  They ain’t hookers if you don’t pay them.”

 

“You think that is going to make it better?”

 

Victor shoved the runt across the lobby and got on the elevator.  It waited for Jimmy to join him.  Fucking Jarvis.

 

The Runt was trying to stay calm.  It was funny to watch.  “Look, Emily is a nice girl-”

 

“Yes.  She is.  That’s why I’m finding someone else to play with rather than ripping her pants off in a fancy ass restaurant.”

 

“Look, can’t you just pretend to be normal and jerk off in the shower like a-“

 

Victor clawed the runt’s face.  “They don't fully retract.  How exactly do you think jerking off is gonna work, Jimmy?”

 

The elevator doors opened on his floor.  Victor went to take a shower.

 

Jarvis called housekeeping to clean up the blood in the elevator.  Again.  Then he took the liberty of ordering Victor a selection of flesh lights and a gallon of lube.

 

——

 

Emily wasn’t at dinner.  Victor waited patiently.  

 

Finally, Tony admitted she wasn’t coming.  “The kid had a tough afternoon.  She phoned dick head werewolf to ask about pheromones and he blew her off.  Said he would be happy to share information, if she was living under their “care” but he wasn’t discussing private business over the phone with an outsider.”

 

“What does she want to know about pheromones?” Natasha asked.

 

Tony watched to see what Victor was going to do.  “Well, they are obviously tracking her somehow.  Pheromones makes sense.”

 

"But then that raises other issues.”  Bruce said.

 

“What issues?”  Victor said quietly.

 

Tony and Bruce avoided eye contact.

 

“What Issues?”  Victor yelled.

 

“Umm… so I’m just going to put this out there… we were wondering…” Bruce started.

 

Tony rolled his eyes.  “Is your interest in her that you are waiting for her to go into heat?”

 

Victor growled.  Thor said absentmindedly, “Yennork don’t go into heat unless they choose to.  It’s a -“  he waved his fork, then stabbed another piece of chicken onto his plate, “- voluntary biological function.”

 

Everyone turned to stare at him.

 

“What?  The Dogs of War were originally Weapons of Asgard.  I studied history.”

 

"And you didn’t think to mention this?”  Tony demanded.

 

“Well, it’s not like I have the fine biochemical details memorized.  They were built as a biological weapon against the Jotunn.  That’s why they grow such thick fur in their weapon phases.”

 

“Phases?  As in plural?”

 

Steve nodded.  “Yeah.  Theres the wolf man shape like in the comics, then there's the wolf phase where they just look like a really big, mean dog.”

 

Tony and Bruce turned to stare at him.  Tony said, “Was there a class in high school I missed where they take you aside and -“

 

“We met some during the war.”  Logan interjected.  “On BOTH sides.”

 

Tony was starting to get annoyed at that.  “Bruce and I have been frantically searching for reliable information on these fuckers for a month and you have all just been sitting on knowledge?”

 

Thor gave him a look.  “You didn’t say you were looking for information.”

 

Bruce sighed.  “We were trying to be discrete.”

 

Victor was still growling.  “You were trying to hide that you were using her as a science project!” he snarled.

 

“Hey, you’re the one who brought her to me.”  Tony was being flippant, but Victor charged and it took Thor, Logan and Steve to bring him down.

 

Clint, who had been staying out of it, added. “That was not cool, Tony.”

 

Victor was still struggling where he was pinned to the floor. Jarvis interrupted at that point.  “Sir,  Miss Farthing has indicated she will be attending movie night this evening.”  Victor froze.

 

“Thank you, Jarvis.” Tony replied.  He found it interesting that had worked.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments please.


	15. Intel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make the writing go. And they have been great comments today, so here, have another chapter.

As soon as Victor had regained his composure, Bruce interjected as politely as possible.  “OK, so that might not have been as tactful as it could be, but Tony is right.  We need to know what we are dealing with.”  He looked at Thor.  “You said ‘Weapons of Asgard,’ what does that mean?”

 

Thor considered this.  “I will regale you with the story over dinner!”

 

Tony muttered something about just the facts, Bruce elbowed him in the side on his way past.

While they were eating, Thor broke out the full saga voice.  “Lo, Many years ago, when I was but a babe, War between Asgard and Jotunheim raged across all realms.”

 

“And here we go,” muttered Tony.

 

Everyone ignored him.

 

“Get to the point.” snarled Victor.

 

Thor looked mildly offended.  “The Jotunn were trying to conquer the nine realms.  Asgard successfully repelled the invasion on Midgard.  However, many were lost and we could not be certain the Jotunn would not return.  So the magicians of Asgard-“

 

“Geneticists” corrected Jane.

 

Thor frowned, but continued, “-created a weapon from the men of Midgard.  It is transmitted through the bite, through the saliva, but only when it gets into the marrow.”  He frowned.  “Bone marrow in the large joints, shoulders, hips, knees.  Once infected, the men become dogs of war.  There bones can change shape and they can become weapons.”

 

Bruce considered this.  “The sites you are naming, shoulders, hips and knees are the major sites of stem cell production.  But we removed Emily’s infected shoulder joint.”

 

Thor shook his head.  “The contagion-“

 

“Virus.” correct Jane.

 

“Virus,” agreed Thor, “would already be spreading through her body.  The corrective surgeries would just have slowed it’s progress not reversed it.”

 

“So, she’s still going to turn into a werewolf.”  Tony said.

 

There was much shaking of heads.  “What?” he asked.  “And how come Natasha has an opinion on this?”

 

She just smirked.

 

Victor was the one who said, “The females don’t change form.”

 

“Not where it shows, no.” said Thor.  “We did not originally allow a female version of the War Dogs.  Father is not fond of women in battle.  However, the males are not able to control the change when…. bedding a female and …  “

 

“They end up eating any humans they try to fuck.”  Victor said flatly.

 

“So, infected dames, women are protected somehow?” Steve asked.

 

“Their smell changes so they do not smell like food. Also, their reproductive organs can rearrange slightly so that they … do not….um…. burst when the male changes form.”

 

There was a collective wincing from everyone present.

 

“Steven is correct, however.  The females are very protected.  They are much less likely to survive infection, so a pack of six to ten males may only have one female member.  They are closely guarded.”

 

Natasha asked, “So, one female to six males, how does that work?  Or are we talking gang rape all the way?”

 

Thor sighed.  “Originally, it was … not always consensual.  However, I have been led to believe that was sorted out somehow.  There were problems, and the Jotunn used the diversion to launch another invasion.  However the Dogs got themselves sorted out and were able to repel the invasion.  Although it was a time of great cold on Midgard.  I believe you refer to it as a little ice age.”

 

Bruce considered this, “So what does all this mean for Emily?”

 

Thor shrugged.  “Once she is no longer in our care, she will likely be collected by a pack of War Dogs and she will spend the rest of her life as part of that pack.”

 

“And if she doesn’t want that?”  Natasha asked.

 

Thor shook his head.  “Once the virus takes hold, she will not age.  She will be painfully aware of every scent, she will be able to smell fear and lust.  To live among mortals…”  He looked at Jane.  “It will be difficult.”

 

“The smell thing has already come up.”  Clint said.  He turned to Logan, “You reek of cigars, by the way.”

 

“Protective smoke screen.” Logan said, “You think I’m not painfully aware of your body odour?”

 

“That’s why you are interested,” Tony said looking at Victor.  “Your own private sex toy that won't ever age.”

 

Victor snorted.  “I killed a pack of werewolves once.  Wanted to try on a Yennork.  It wasn’t worth the effort.”

 

Steve considered this, “But that guy, Michael, said her body was trying to bond with ferals.  What does that mean?”

 

Logan snorted, “Ferals are Victor and me.  Not sure about the bonding.”  He looked at Thor.

 

Thor looked thoughtful; he turned to Victor.  “How much time have you spent alone with Emily?”

 

“None since she got here.”  Logan said.  “He’s always been chaperoned.”

 

Thor nodded.  “But how much time with either just you, him and her and how much time before she came here?  Victor had already met her, that’s how she ended up getting surgery with Dr Cho.”

 

“I spent a couple of days with her when I found her.  Then I didn't see her for months.  Once she got here…. Runt and I took her for dinner the night of the party.  We walked around Central Park.  That’s when we met the Puppies.”

 

Tony snorted and muttered under his breath, “Puppies!”

 

Thor ignored him.  “That couple of days, how much time were you alone together?”

 

Victor thought about that for a while.  “I spent two nights watching her sleep.  She was mostly out doing her own thing during the day.  We had supper one night.  I took her shopping and bought her a blanket and some boots.”

 

“You helped her nest.”  Thor said flatly.

 

“I wouldn't say that.”

 

Thor ignored this.  “Did you do anything that may be considered mate guarding?”

 

“What the fuck does that mean?”

 

“Did you defend her from attackers?”

 

“Do I look like a knight in shining armour?”

 

“I can’t tell.”

 

“Why would it matter?” Natasha asked.

 

“Yennork eventually end up with a pack because they…. are drawn to a pack that matches their needs.  Emily is sarcastic and snappish when nervous.  Who does that remind you of?”

 

“Tony.”  Natasha said immediately.

 

“Ha, ha.  Very funny.”

 

 


	16. Snug

They were down to the picking at dessert point when Jarvis interrupted. “Sir, Miss Farthing is on her way to the theatre.”

 

“Did she eat?” Victor demanded. 

 

“Miss Farthing did not, in fact, order anything from catering today. She did, however, make a rather acerbic comment when I raised the issue.  I suspect snacks would not be unappreciated.”

 

Victor grumbled and headed to the elevator. 

 

“Take her a sandwich,” Natasha suggested. 

 

Clint snickered. 

 

The catering attendant made a sandwich. 

 

——

 

Emily was sitting on the right side of one of the couches when they got there. Victor plopped down next to her and handed her the sandwich. 

 

“Eat!” he commanded. 

 

She glared at him and narrowed her eyes. She took a deep breath-

 

“Please.” he added, quickly. 

 

It was interesting watching Emily deflate. “Fine.” She gritted out.  “But if you are going to sit next to me, we are switching sides. I don't want you on my left.”

 

Victor stood up. Emily stood up.  Victor sat on the right end of the sofa, where Emily had recently been. He stretched out, legs spread, and lay his arm across the back of the couch. 

 

“Subtle.”  Emily snarked. 

 

“Never.” Victor grinned. 

 

“Are you going to keep those claws to yourself, or do I need to find another couch?”

 

“I'll behave if you will.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

“It means eat the damn sandwich, Emily.”

 

Emily sat down with bad grace and ate the damn sandwich.   Logan sat on the other side of her.  After a moment, Clint handed her a G&T and she asked, “What are we watching tonight?”

 

“Rebel Without a Cause” said Clint.

 

“I’ve never seen it,” said Emily.

 

“Hah!” said Steve sounding totally vindicated.

 

“That doesn't mean anything,” said Natasha.  “It’s part of pop culture.  Even if she hasn’t seen it, Emily could probably give you the highlights.”

 

Emily thought about saying, no, just to be a shit disturber, but Natasha was being vaguely scary.  “Um… James Dean…. drag racing….  That’s all I got.”

 

“Add in that James Dean died in a car accident before the movie was released, the main character’s last name is Stark and that Runt dragged me to see it eight times when it first came out and that’s about all you need to know.”

 

Everyone turned to stare at Victor.

 

“What?” said Logan.

 

“Man, I keep forgetting I'm running with the grampa crowd these days.”

 

Tony giggled.

 

“You’re still older than my father,” Emily pointed out.

 

“Why must you hurt me so?” he asked.

 

“I don’t remember that,” Logan said.

 

“Do I smell like I’m lying?” Victor demanded.

 

“Is that a thing?”  Emily asked.

 

“No.” said Victor.  

 

“Are you lying about that?” Emily asked warily.

 

“Just watch the movie.”

 

Emily had finished her G&T by the time Jim was finished at the police station.  She had her feet up on the couch by the time he was standing on the school crest.  By the knife fight scene, she was leaning towards Victor.  By the drag race, she was asleep with the head in his lap, her right hand supporting her left shoulder.

 

Victor carded his fingers through her hair.

 

“Careful.”  Logan said.

 

“ ‘sokay, feels nice.” Emily mumbled, barely awake.  “e’s warm.”

 

“Get the lady a blanket, will you Runt?”

 

Logan ignored him.  Natasha got Emily a blanket.  She wrapped Emily up in it and headed back to sitting next to Clint.

 

Victor began carefully stroking up and down her side with the back of his fingers, his claws curled carefully into his palms.  She gave a little hum of pleasure.

 

Victor started to purr softly.

 

By the time the movie was back at the planetarium, she started to straighten out from the tight ball she was curled in.  As she stretched out her legs, her feet peeked out from under the blanket and touched Logan’s leg.

 

“Holy fuck! Your feet are COLD!”

 

Emily jerked awake and whimpered as her shoulder jostled.  She snatched her feet back before she pushed herself up and off the couch.  “I should go.  Sorry.  I’m not good company tonight.” She headed to the door.

 

“Stay.” Victor ordered.

 

“No, it's fine.  You don’t need me drooling on your lap.” she said.

 

Tony laughed.  “Yeah, we’re all gonna pretend that’s what the wet spot on Victor’s lap is.”

 

Emily blushed hard and fled.  Pepper hit Tony.  “Why are you so mean to her?”

 

Tony stared at a retreating Emily.  “Usually she gives as good as she gets.”

 

Victor followed her to the elevator.  “Come back, we are going to watch another one.”

 

Emily shook her head.  “It was a long day.  I should really just get some rest.” She got on the elevator.  Victor followed.

 

Jarvis announced, “I’m sorry Mr Creed.  I can not allow you to ride with Ms Farthing without a chaperone.”

 

Victor gritted his teeth.  “I’m not going to hurt you, Emily.”

 

“I know.  If you had wanted to, you would have had plenty of opportunity already.”  She looked at him.  “Look, I’ll see you at breakfast, OK?  I need to sleep and I promise I won’t be doing anything entertaining between now and breakfast.  I’ll see you tomorrow, Victor.” She gave him a little push to get him to leave.

 

He did, but it almost physically hurt when he did.

 

Suddenly, everyone was pouring out of the media room.  “Time to go Victor,” Steve said.  “They found a Hydra base in Eastern Europe.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments please! Also... would you want to see this switch from M for mature language to E?


	17. Cupcakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Extended version of the previous released teaser

 

Victor didn't even turn around.  "I'm not going."

 

There was silence behind him.  He hit the elevator button.

 

"We made a deal." the runt said.

 

"Yeah, and part of that deal was no war crimes, no attacking my teammates.  I can't promise that right now."  He jabbed the elevator button again.  "I'm going to bed."

 

"If you stay here, you stay out of her way, Victor." Steve ordered.

 

"Yeah.  Whatever.  You never let me see her anyway.  When I do, you just run her off." He kept jabbing the elevator.  "Fuck!  Jarvis, just let me go to the god damn gym!"

 

An elevator arrived.  Victor got on it.  The Avengers assembled.

 

\----

 

Emily dragged her ass out of bed the next morning and headed to breakfast.  It was just the women.  Jane and her friend.  Pepper was just leaving.  Everyone else was catering staff.

 

"Holy crap!  How does anyone ever pass the Bechdel test around here?"  Emily clamped her hand over her mouth as everyone turned to look at her.  

 

Pepper grinned and patted Emily's back on her way to the elevator.  "That is only part of why we are so glad to have you, Emily.  Have a great day."

 

Emily got her breakfast and looked awkwardly at the astrophysicist.  "Um... mind if I join you?"

 

"Of course!  I'm Darcy, by the way.  It's Emily, right?"

 

'Yeah." Emily said cautiously.  "Are you an astrophysicist too?"

 

Jane snorted. 

 

"I'm more like a specialist in alien encounters."

 

"OK?"

 

"I've been to two, and I would have had the third if Agent iPod thief hasn't sent us on a wild goose chase."

 

"Oh."  Emily had no idea what the woman was talking about.

 

"So... You're crazy Victor's stalking victim slash werewolf, huh?"

 

Emily sighed and looked at her oatmeal.  "Yeah.  I guess so."

 

"Cool.  Wanna go get cupcakes?"

 

It took Emily a moment to even process that.  "What?"

 

"I hear there is this cool little bakery down in Williamsburg that makes awesome cupcakes."

 

"Um...  I don't think I'm allowed to leave."

 

"What?  I can understand if you aren't allowed to leave with Victor, but he isn't here.  C'mon!  You and me and Jane and CUPCAKES!"

 

"That sounds like fun, but I have physio this morning."

 

"I have to work" Jane added.

 

"You have to sleep." Darcy said.  "That's settled then, we'll go this afternoon.  I'll get Jarvis to book a car for us."  She pulled Jane out of her chair.  "Meet you here at lunch, OK?"

 

"Um... sure."

 

"Great!  See you then!"

 

\----

 

Physio was not great.  Physio hurt.  Lunch was fine.  Jarvis sent a couple of security guards with them and the cupcakes were really quite good.  Not awesome enough to make the drive from Manhattan, but Emily wasn't going to say that.  The cupcakes weren't the point.  She was socializing with other women.  That was the point.

 

And she completely ignored that there we a selection of Loopers watching them at all times.

 

Right up until they were half way over the Williamsburg bridge and a giant mechanical squid burst out of the East River.  A few cars ahead, someone swerved into oncoming traffic and suddenly the bridge was blocked with a four car pile up.

 

Security called Jarvis.

 

Jarvis called Tony.

 

Tony hated to do it, but he suggested deploying Victor.

 

Deploying Victor was not that easy.  He was in the process of packing to leave.  Jarvis had to talk him into it.  In the end, he only agreed to help when Jarvis provided him with a video call to the car where Emily was trapped.

 

She was trying to be fucking brave.  She told him that she was OK, and that she was staying in the car.

 

He could hear shots being fired in the background.  Fuck.

 

“I’ll come get you and bring you back to the tower.”  He said.

 

“No!  I'm OK, you need to help the team when they get here.  That thing has already thrown a bunch of people into the river.”

 

Victor growled.  “I. Am. Coming. To. Get. You.”

 

Emily narrowed her eyes.  “Don’t growl at me!  I.  Am. Fine, Mister Grumpypants!  Someone needs to do something about the squid!  I can’t, you can!  This is an easy choice for m-“

 

Victor hung up on her.

 

There was silence in the car.

 

“Did you just call Victor Creed ‘Mr Grumpypants’?” Jane asked.

 

“Hell, yeah, she did!”  Darcy grinned.

 

——

 

Victor took the Runt’s motorcycle.  That way he didn’t care when he drove it through a police barricade and up a ramp and jumped it onto the mechanical squid.  The thing was some sort of polymer, but whoever made it had painted it copper.  What the fuck was that?

 

Victor scratched through the polymer outer coating to find a metal skeleton underneath.  That was just weird.  A tentacle grabbed him and the suckers tried to grab at his clothes.

 

He removed the tentacle with his claws.  A burst of red hydraulic fluid hit him in the face, blinding him.  He lost his footing and fell into the river.

 

——

 

The women were watching the news on the vid screen in the car.  Emily gasped when Victor fell.  She undid her seatbelt and opened the door, ignoring Happy and Jane as they told her to sit down.

 

As soon as she was out of the car, the Loopers who had been following her all day came over.

 

“Wait in the car, you’re safer there!” the biggest one said.

 

Emily ignored him and went to look over the railing with the crowd that was watching.

 

“Come away!” the Looper ordered.

 

Emily turned and marched up to him, then grabbed the sleeve of his leather jacket and tried to tow him back to the car.  It only worked because he went along with it.  

 

Once they were out of earshot of the railing, she hissed at him, “Why aren’t you helping?”

 

“Are you Ordering me to help?” he seemed entirely too pleased with the idea.

 

Emily froze and thought fast.  “No,” she said carefully, “I’m asking if you can help, why is Victor the only one out there?  Thor said the Dogs of War were deployed to protect people.  So why is Victor the only out there protecting this city?”

 

“We protect people from Jotun.”

 

“And do dick all if it’s a robotic giant fucking squid?  God damn, that’s convenient!  How often do the Jotun invade?  In the meantime, all the other crap that threatens us just falls by the wayside!”

 

The second biggest one, was visibly upset by this, “Hey!  We fought in the Battle of New York too!  And we did it without all the flashy media coverage that Stark and his clowns got!”

 

Emily pointed to the squid, “So, I ask you again, why aren’t you helping?”

 

“Thomas.” said the big one.  He took off his jacket and held it out to her.  “I’m Thomas David Svart.  My pack and I go help, you wear my jacket until that thing is defeated, then you keep it smelling like you until I come for it.  You can give it back when I buy you a coffee in Stark Tower. Sound fair?”

 

Emily nodded carefully.

 

“Get the driver to open the trunk.  I just got these boots broken in.”

 

Emily put on the much too big jacket and turned to Happy, who had been watching the whole thing.  “Open the trunk, please.” 

 

He nodded but didn’t move.  “Sure.  After you get back in the car.”

 

Thomas nodded.  “If we do this, you wait in the car.  No move getting out to look.”

 

Emily got back in the car.  Happy opened the trunk and stood there as four hipsters stripped down to their Saxx throwing their clothes into the trunk.  There were wolf whistles and pictures being taken by the crowd.  As soon as they were stripped, they ran to the railing facing away from the squid where there wasn’t a crowd and dived into the East River.

 

People started screaming and ran over to see what had just happened.  Happy got on the phone and told Jarvis to warn the 911 operators and the police response to the squid that there hadn’t been a mass suicide, it was just that help was on it’s way.

 

Darcy leaned in and smelled the jacket.  “So werewolves smell like cinnamon, huh?”

 

“This pack does.”  Emily said.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make the writing go!


	18. Scent Marking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Umm... I don't even know.

 

Victor was already angry when the puppies arrived.  He hated being wet and he could smell the contents of the river.  It was vile.  They swam over in combat form, half way between a wolf and a man.  The sort of thing you see in movies, their city dog licences on modified choke chains around their necks.

 

He would have laughed but he was a bit busy.  He severed another tentacle, this time turning his head to avoid the spray.  The guy across from him got it right in the chest.  Victor grinned.

 

"Why are you here?" he demanded, going back to flaying the creature.

 

"Your girlfriend sent us."

 

Victor snarled and caught the next tentacle that was grabbing for him.  It went the way of the first two.  "What?" He demanded.

 

"You will have to talk to her about that," the alpha said, peeling off more coating.  

 

Eventually, they found the access hatch and one the puppies yanked it off it's hinges to get it open.  The three men inside surrendered immediately.  Victor punched each of them in the face, just on general principles.

 

The NYPD was happy to take them into custody.  The puppies somehow vanished after that, leaving Victor to squelch back to the tower.  He only made it two blocks before a cruiser stopped to offer him a ride.  He took it, but had the cop radio in to check if traffic was moving on the Williamsburg bridge yet.  It was just being cleared.

 

He waited in the lobby for Emily.  He could smell her as soon as she entered the building.  "You stink like puppy," he snarled.

 

Emily grinned, "You smell like the East River.  Why don't we both go get cleaned up?"

 

They rode the elevator in silence.  It bypassed Emily's floor and stopped on Victor's.  This wasn't surprising, Jarvis would always deliver her last so that the people she was riding with didn't see what floor she got off on.

 

Victor slouched out of the elevator and was surprised when Emily followed him.

 

"What?" she asked.  "You wash my back and I'll wash yours?"

 

Victor stared at her.  "That is against the rules." he said flatly.

 

Emily shrugged.  "If I follow you home am I going to get raped and murdered?" she asked.

 

Victor considered this.  

 

It took him a while.  

 

"No?" he finally suggested.

 

"Well, OK then.  I promised the Looper that I would return his jacket still smelling like me.  I didn't say anything about whether or not it would also smell like you."  She gave Victor a subversive grin.

 

He laughed and opened the door to his apartment, idly kicking the amazon delivery inside as he went.

 

Emily was leaving a trail of clothes as soon as the door closed.  "If I start using your shampoo or whatever, will the loo- puppies stop being so creepy about following me around?"

 

"I doubt it."  God, she had great curves,  He shouldn't really be this interested in a naked back.  Then her jeans hit the floor.  Victor groaned.

 

Emily gave him a questioning look over her shoulder.

 

Victor walked up behind her and reached out to put his hands on her waist before dropping them to his sides.  "You have the most gorgeous, perky round ass.  You are just beautiful, Emily."

 

She blushed and ducked her head.  "You are still dripping on the floor," she deflected.  “Which way to the shower?”

 

Victor carefully took off his boots and his coat and hung it up, then he just clawed his way out of the rest of his clothes.  Emily had found the shower and was adjusting the temperature.

 

He watched her, all creamy skin, soft curves, long dark hair and surgical scarring.  It was like she was made just for him.  The smile she gave him was only slightly nervous as she climbed into his shower.

 

He followed her in and ran the back of his hand along her side.  He bent over her and breathed in the smell of her hair, nuzzling her head before leaning further down to nuzzle her neck.  He gave the crook of her neck a kiss then a lick, feeling her heartbeat speed up on his lips.   He brought his hands up to her shoulders, but she spun and grabbed him.  Hands on each side of his face she arched up and kissed him deeply.

 

He pulled away a little.  “Watch the teeth,” he warned.

 

She nodded and kissed him again running her hands over his chest.

 

And that was it.  He could smell her lust.  His hands went under her ass and he lifted her off the ground.  She gave a startled squeak and wrapped her legs around his waist.  He turned and pressed her back against the wall of the shower, holding her up with one arm while his other hand stroked her breast.  He kissed her hard, then needing more, he sliced his own tongue on his teeth so he could taste blood.

 

Emily tipped her head back and panted up at the ceiling.

 

Victor slid his hand between her legs.

 

Lust and fear.

 

No.

 

He set her down and dropped to his knees, nuzzling and licking her belly.  He pushed her legs apart and knelt further to lap at her folds.

 

Her whole body tensed.  “You don’t have to do that,” she said.

 

Fear and embarrassment.

 

Victor stopped.  He tipped his head back and rested his chin on the neatly trimmed curls on her pubic bone.  “Emily,” he asked carefully, “have you done this before?”

 

“Of course!” she said, deeply offended.  “Just…. on the giving side, not the receiving side.”

 

Victor groaned.  “When was the last time you had sex?”

 

“Um… it’s been a while.”

 

“How long?”

 

“Are we counting blow jobs?”

 

“No.”

 

“Um… well… let’s see… uh… like… a couple of years.”

 

“A couple of years?  How many, exactly?”

 

“Like… two… um… give or take about twenty.”

 

Victor rocked back on his heels and stood up.  He turned his back to her and put his hands on the wall of the shower.  “You need to leave now.”

 

“What?  It’s OK, I want to.”

 

“I promised I wouldn’t rape you if you followed me home.  Now get out before I break my promise.”

 

Emily fled.  After the door slammed, Jarvis said.  “I hate to interrupt, Mr.  Creed, but now might be a good time to open the package I ordered you.”

 

——

 

Emily wasn’t proud of the fact that she stole a dirty shirt out of Victor’s laundry hamper.  Or that it was what she put on as she gathered her clothes and ran to the elevator.

 

Whoever was working security didn’t comment when she got on the elevator, her face burning.  She was simply delivered to her floor.  Once in her apartment she dumped the laundry on the floor and realized her panties were missing. Oh god.  She was so embarrassed.  This wasn’t how she had planned this at all.

 

God damn it.

 

She wandered over to the living room and started kicking the shit out of the couch.  After a few minutes, she was warm enough that she could smell Victor on the shirt.

 

Fuck it.

 

She put Thomas’s jacket on over Victor’s shirt and went to the bedroom.  She crawled into bed and breathed in both the smells.  She thought about the way he felt under her hands.  That lean, muscled body.  The slight fuzz of blonde chest hair.  The smooth, muscled back.  The way his scruff rubbed all over her.

 

She dipped her hand between her legs and took care of herself.

 

Her fingers were still wet when she took off the coat and dropped it on the floor.

 

If the Loopers were as aware of smells as she was, they were gonna love that.

 

Emily curled into a ball and tucked as much of herself as she could into Victor's plain black T-shirt and fell asleep.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments?


	19. Unexpected

 

Tom and his boys slipped back into the river while everyone was distracted and swam away.  When they hit Williamsburg they changed into their third form, that of large dogs, and walked calmly home.  They owned a grungy looking brick warehouse on South 8th St.  There was a restaurant on the ground floor, the three stories above that were theirs.

 

They took turns walking the “dogs” so that the people in the neighbourhood were familiar with them in two out of their three forms.  Loopers were excellent at blending in, but they had taken it to a whole other level.  It worked out fine.  Like that time Jonathan had gotten caught out in the rain and Mrs. Patel had brought him into her place until Tom could go pick him up.

 

“You need to be careful, Thomas,” she said.  “I know you have good dogs, but they are big and make people nervous.”

 

Tom had politely agreed and brought Jonathan home.  After that, his boys stopped questioning him on the helping carry groceries thing.  Manners were dialled up another notch.

 

Once everyone was clean and warm, Sam had asked, “You think that will work?”

 

Tom shrugged and opened a beer.  “Damned if I know.  She is barely turned and it has been almost a year.  Even if she doesn’t come home with us, the pheromone exposure should up her viral load.”

 

——

 

Victor found Emily’s panties kicked under the couch.  He also found the package Jarvis had gotten him.  He tried out all of the toys, then had another shower and scotch.  Then he asked. “Jarvis, find me some videos about how to fuck a girl without hurting her.”

 

Jarvis brought up Laci Green’s video You Can’t POP Your Cherry.

 

Victor frowned but watched some more of her Sex+ videos.  He honestly hadn’t ever cared if the person he was fucking enjoyed it before.  That was their problem.

 

Oh, he knew how to force an orgasm, that was sometimes useful.  But the idea of hurting his mate made him vaguely nauseous.

 

Wait!  What?  Emily wasn’t his mate!  She was just some piece of shit Frail he had dragged home and-

 

Victor made it to the kitchen sink before he was sick, but it was a close run thing.  What the fuck was wrong with him?  He was Victor fucking Creed!  He didn’t get sick!  Take your pick of any nasty, vile, despicable thing and he had done it.  More than once.  And he had enjoyed it!  Mostly enjoyed it.  Or at least learned how to not think about it.  The point was, he would do whatever it took (to protect his pack) and -

 

Protect his pack?  Where the hell had that come from?  OK, sure, he had spent eighty years protecting Jimmy.  When they were small, Victor had even starved to death a couple of times keeping the runt fed.  That didn’t make him a pack animal.  And it wouldn’t apply to Emily anyway! He had never hunted for her, except for killing that junkie in her hallway. That didn’t count, right?  It wasn’t like he had helped her nest or anythi- 

 

Except, he had, hadn’t he.  He had cooked for her, he had gotten her food.  He had protected her den when he installed that new lockset and he had guarded her while she slept.  Hell, he had even gotten her a warm blanket!  You didn’t get much more nesting than that.

 

O...kay… if he had accidentally bonded with her, then the logical thing to do was just run for it.  Ugh.  No! No, that was the right thing to do, it would keep her safe from him and (leave her as fair game for the puppies) -  

 

God damn it!  He couldn’t even think straight about her.  He was so fucked.

 

\----

 

Emily was so embarrassed, she never wanted to leave her room again.  There were two problems with that.  First, she was currently out of food in the fridge in her room, and second, Happy called to get her help taking the werewolf clothes out of the trunk of the car.

 

And so, Emily got dressed and took the elevator down to the parking garage.  Happy was waiting with a set of four tote bins.  

 

"Tony says these guys are kinda sensitive about smells, so I thought they might appreciate it if you did this instead of me."

 

Emily nodded.  She  sorted clothing by the distinctive smell of each looper.  They were all cinnamon based, but some had hints of nutmeg or allspice or, in one case, black pepper.  The straight up cinnamon smell seemed to belong to Thomas.

 

None of the loopers she had met smelled bad, it was just that Victor smelled better.  Which was weird.  Most of the loopers seemed to have food based smells, Victor just smelled like Victor.

 

She was folding Thomas’s shirt when she realized her shoulder didn't hurt.  At all. When had that happened?  A careful test suggested she had almost full range of motion back.  What the hell?

 

She thought about that for a moment,  it seemed like the sort of thing she should let someone know.  On the other hand, who went to the doctor to complain that they felt fine?  She could wait and talk to Mark about it the day after tomorrow. 

 

“Are you OK?”

 

Emily looked up.  Happy was staring at her, looking worried.  That was when she realized she had been holding Thomas’s shirt right up to her face and smelling it.  How had she not noticed that she was doing that?  She tossed it into the bin and sealed it up.  “I’m fine, I just realized I really want about three of those A&W apple pie things.  In a bowl, with vanilla ice cream.”

 

“O...kay… I can arrange that.”

 

Emily smiled at him.  “Thank you so much for all your help today, Happy.”  She gave him a quick hug and headed to the elevator.  Happy smelled like Old Spice.  When she got back to her room, Emily stripped off her top and bra and put Victor’s shirt back on.  That was better.  She curled up on the couch with her book and waited for food.

 

She could smell the apple pies as soon as the elevator doors opened.  Her mouth watered and she surprised the hell out of the security guard who had brought them up, when she jerked the door open.

 

“Um.. ice cream is on the side so they don’t get cold before you eat them.”

 

“Thank you so much!”

 

She ate the pies, one at a time, in a bowl with a scoop of Ben and Jerry’s vanilla ice cream.  They were so good!  When she got to the end, she was vaguely tempted to see if Jarvis could get her another batch, but that seemed completely over the top.  She fell asleep, still in Victor’s shirt, on the couch while the TV played in the background.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want all the comments!


	20. Bitch

Emily woke up sometime around three when her leg twitched and she jerked awake.  She got up and went to brush her teeth, but then just couldn’t settle to go back to sleep.  So she changed into her gym clothes and went to run of the treadmill for a while.

 

After her warm up, her usual six miles an hour seemed too easy, so she upped it to eight, and put a movie on the screen in front of her.  Then she just kind of zoned out.

 

“Emily?”  It was Pepper.  “You aren’t usually here this early.  Is everything ok?”

 

“Yeah.  I’m fine, I just couldn’t sleep.”

 

“How long have you been here?”

 

“I don’t know.  What time is it?”

 

“It’s 5am.  Breakfast starts in another hour.”

 

“OK.  I’ll just finish my movie then have a shower and head over.”

 

Pepper gave her a funny look, then shrugged.

 

When the movie ended, Emily knew better than to just stop, so she ran at six mph for ten minutes then three mph for ten minutes.  She made sure to stretch before she had her shower.  Jarvis made a note in her medical file that Emily had just run 18 miles in two and a half hours, which was a significant improvement of her previous workouts averaging around three miles in thirty minutes.

 

She had her regular bowl of oatmeal, but was still hungry.  Well, she had skipped dinner last night and she had gone to the gym this morning so…  She wandered over to the egg station where a chef was waiting to prepare eggs anyway you liked.

 

“I’d like an omelette please.”

 

“French or American?”

 

“Wow!  I didn’t know there was a difference.”

 

The man sighed.  “American then, what would you like in it?”

 

“Um… I don’t know.  What ever you recommend, I guess…  Actually, could I have one of each?  I’m curious what the French omelette is like.”

 

“Of course!  I’ll bring them over when they are done.”

 

The American omelette had goat cheese and garlic mushrooms.  The French omelette was pale and buttery with only a few herbs in it.  It was all rolled up and the eggs were barely set in the center.  They were both excellent.  She looked up to see Jane watching her.  She blushed and dropped her gaze.

 

She got herself a coffee.  And a plate of bacon.  And a bowl of fruit salad.

 

When she was done, she got into the elevator.  “Excuse me?  Who is on security today?”

 

Jarvis answered, “Still me, Ms. Farthing.”

 

“Mr. Creed’s floor, please.”

 

“I’m afraid I can’t authorize that, Ms.  Farthing.  I wasn’t supposed to let you off on his floor last night either.”

 

Emily considered this.  “Any idea when the team gets back to chaperone me?”

 

“I’m afraid they have been delayed, Ms. Farthing.  It would appear they may have located someone who Captain Rogers has been trying to find for a very long time.”

 

“Please, Mr. Jarvis?  I just need to see him for a few minutes.”

 

The elevator slowed and stopped.  “I will ask if he will agree to see you.”

 

There was silence.  Emily started humming some bad elevator music to entertain herself.

 

The elevator started again and after a few seconds, the doors opened on Victor’s floor.  He was waiting in the doorway.  “What do you-” 

 

Emily marched right past him and into his apartment like she owned the place.  She walked into his room and stripped down to her underwear, then she crawled into his bed. “I’ve been awake since three am.  I need a nap.  We can talk in a couple of hours when I’m feeling human again.”

 

Victor just stared at her.

 

She rolled over and looked at him.  “Either turn off the lights and get in to keep me warm, or turn off the lights on your way out.”

 

Victor didn’t know what to think.  “You have your own bed.”

 

“Yours smells good.”

 

Victor considered the ceiling for a moment.  “Tell me to leave or tell me to stay.  I need to know I’m not forcing this.”

 

“I’m too tired for relationship bullshit!  I just want to sleep.”

 

Victor nodded and turned the lights off on his way out.

 

\----

 

Victor had steak and eggs and bacon for breakfast.  He spend an hour beating the shit out of the specially reinforced heavy bags Tony had designed.  He headed back to his apartment for a shower.  She was still asleep in his bed.  The room smelled faintly of her.  He forced himself to ignore that, for now.  Shower first, then trim his hair.  She said she was glad when he lost the dreads.

 

He crawled into bed and spooned up behind her.  God, she was tiny!  She fit perfectly, her ass against his dick, her back against his chest, her head beneath his chin.  She smelled…. Good.  Different today, but still good.  His.  His Emily.  The smell of puppy was, not gone, it was still there, but it was hers now and he liked it.

 

Victor started to purr.

 

After a moment, Emily made a tiny little growl in her sleep.  Victor froze.  When she started to wiggle, he relaxed his grip on her and she flipped over to face him.  She inchwormed up his body so her head was on his shoulder and she could nuzzle into his neck.

 

That was nice.  He carefully stroked her back.  She sighed and relaxed into him.  He lay there, breathing her smell, rubbing her back. 

 

His attention wandered and one of his claws pricked her back.  Faster than he could have imagined, she flipped him onto his back, straddled his torso and had his hands pinned to the bed above him.  It was completely ridiculous, since she was less than half his body mass, he could easily break her grip.  But instead, he forced himself not to and waited to see what she would do next.

 

It took a moment for her eyes to blink into wakefulness.  Then confusion passed over her face, followed closely by horror.  She scrambled back off of Victor and fell off the bed.  “Oh god!  I can’t believe I just did that!  I am so sorry!  What was I even thinking, I shouldn’t be here!  You already kicked me out once and I am so pathetic that I come back and demand attention.  I can’t believe I did that!  I’m sorry, I’ll just get my things and go-”

 

Victor pounced.  He landed on his hands and knees, his body caging hers where she had bent to pick up her things.  He was expecting her to freeze.

 

She didn’t.

 

She slammed her shoulder into his solar plexus and scrambled away from him while he was wheezing.  He grabbed her ankle and hauled her back.  She kicked him in the face and broke his nose.

 

Victor started laughing.

 

“Let go!  You’re hurting me!”

 

Victor stopped laughing, his stomach clenched.  No.  She smelled like fear and shame not pain.

 

“I will let go if you stop trying to run.  Running away isn’t going to solve this.  You need to think about what you want, Emily, because biology has caught up to you and it’s decision time.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> um.... yeah.... you know what I'm going to say by now, but it really is true. Comments make the writing happen.
> 
> Also, Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! So, if this chapter is well received, I might have time to write another one.
> 
> In between drinking coffee this morning and eating turkey tonight.
> 
> Also, at some point in this work, Emily and Victor are going to have sex. If that isn't your thing, or if you are underage, this is your warning to walk away. It might not be the next chapter, but the sexy naked times are a coming.


	21. The Deal

Now Emily froze.  Victor let go of her ankle.

 

“What do you mean, ‘biology has caught up to me’?”

 

Victor rocked back on his heels and pulled his nose straight.  Emily winced at the crunch.  “Don’t you dare apologize for hurting me!” Victor snarled.  “Not ever!  You fight to kill, Every.  Single. Time. You understand?”

 

Emily looked at him, wide eyed and nodded.

 

Victor nodded back at her.  “You smell like a full Yennork now.  If I had gone with the team instead of staying here, the Puppies would have just taken you when that thing turned up yesterday.”

 

“What do you mean they would have taken me?”

 

“What does it sound like?  You were undefended and there was a threat.  Tony’s security isn’t up to fighting off a puppy attack.  They would have been carved up or killed and you would be dragged back to the den in Williamsburg, or wherever the hell they were from.

 

“They would only have to hold you for twenty four hours and you would either bond with that pack or be passed around until you found one that you did bond with.  It’s what they do.”

 

Emily smelled sick.

 

“Easy.  I’m not going to let that happen.”

 

“So I have to decide if I’m going to stay with you or run off to be some sex toy for a pack of werewolves?”

 

Victor hesitated.  She wasn’t going to like this part.  “No.  You are going to stay with me for the next year.  You have to decide if you are going to stay with me here or run off.  If you run off, I track you down, kill the puppies that have you and drag you back to my cabin up north.  Then you stay with me for a year in a remote cabin without room service or even running water.”

 

Emily stared at him.

 

He wasn’t going to back down on this one.  “That was the deal.  I got Stark to rebuild your shoulder, you stay with me for the next three hundred and sixty five days.”

 

Emily nodded.

 

“In that time,” Victor continued, “you are going to get combat training.  If we stay here, I’ll make Natasha train you.  You can practice knife fight and using live ammo on me, I’ll heal.  And when the year is up, the puppies won’t be able to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

 

“I don’t want combat training.”

 

“Tough.”

 

She was sitting on the floor glaring up at him.  It was great.  This was not the time to grin at her, it will just piss her off more.

 

He did it anyway.

 

She slapped him and stormed off toward the door.

 

He tackled her to the ground and licked her neck.

 

“Ugh!  That was disgusting!”

 

“So get the combat training and learn how to keep me from doing it again.”  

 

He did it again.

 

She headbutted him and broke his nose again.  “Ow!”

 

He laughed.  “Not the right part of your head for that, Frail, but you’ll learn.”

 

“Let go of me!”

 

He did.  Immediately.

 

She stared at him.

 

“What?  If you don’t want to play, you only have to say.”

 

“That was playing?”

 

He frowned.  “Yeah.  Or were you flirting?  Hard to tell sometimes.”

 

“I broke your nose!  Twice!”

 

“Yeah.  It was great.  Sexiest thing that has happened to me in a long time, Frail.”

 

Fear.

 

“No.  You don’t have to be afraid.  I didn’t even leave so much as a bruise on you.”

 

She still looked worried, but she swallowed and nodded.  “Don’t call me that.”

 

He nodded, not taking his eyes off of her.  “Ready for lunch?”

 

Emily’s stomach growled loudly.  Victor laughed.  “Come on, we’ll get you some real clothes and I’ll buy you a steak.”

 

\----

 

It took a fair bit of convincing to get Jarvis to let Emily bring Victor back to her room.  When he did, the elevator stopped on the eleventh floor at the apartment with the replaced door.  Emily frowned.  She hadn’t heard about that.  Inside was the twin of the room she had been staying in, except there weren’t dishes from last night’s snack in the sink and all the clothing was nicely hung up instead of on the floor where she had dropped it last night.

 

There also wasn’t a looper coat on the floor or the smell of her masturbating in the air.

 

Victor watched her pull on a pair of Levi’s and dig through the drawers for a long sleeved t-shirt.  He looked in her closet and found the dresses Jarvis had ordered for her.  He flipped through the rack and picked out a  [ white dress with red poppies ](https://www.number9fashion.com/collections/plus-size/products/daisy-poppy-scoop-neck-bow-tie-vintage-swing-dress?variant=41979667219) .  “Wear this.”

 

Emily looked at it.  “It’s fall.  It’s cold out there.  Maybe when I have a matching sweater, wool leggings, knee high boots and a floor length wool coat.”

 

Victor frowned.  “I could insist.”

 

Emily turned and glared at him.  “You could try.”

 

Victor laughed and kissed her forehead.  “This is going to be so much fun.”

 

\----

 

They walked to the bar where Victor wanted to go for lunch.  Emily’s coat wasn’t warm enough, so Victor put his arm around her.  She wasn’t sure what she thought of that, but right now, she was cold and he was warm, so she let it slide.

 

He ordered her a medium rare steak and baked potato.  She cancelled that order and got a mushroom burger with fries.  He put his hand on her thigh, then slid it between her legs.  She kicked him in the shin, and pulled his hand off of her.  Now she was starting to smell angry.

 

“You aren’t playing anymore.”

 

“No.  I’m not.  I agreed to spend time with you.  That doesn’t mean you get to speak for me.  Or touch me like that.”

 

“You were the one who climbed into my shower last night and my bed this morning.”

 

“And?  You kicked me out of your shower and clawed my back to wake me up in your bed.”

 

“Is that how you see what happened?”

 

“That’s what happened!  What do you mean, how I see it?  That’s what-” 

 

Victor grabbed her by the throat and kissed her hard, then let her push him off of her.  “We are going to have to talk about that, because I have a very different understanding of how that worked.”

 

She was glaring at him, her eyes full of tears.

 

“Aw, fuck!  Don’t cry, Frail.  Crying women just make me horny.”

 

She closed her eye and set her jaw and breathed slowly through her nose.  She looked upset.  She smelled enraged.

 

“OK.  I took it too far.  It’s gonna take me a while to find the line, Emily.  I promise I’m not trying to cross it.”

 

She nodded, opened her eyes and wiped them on her napkin.  Then she looked up at the waiter that was watching them in horror.  “Smells good,” she said.

 

The guy was seven inches shorter and a hundred pounds lighter than Victor.  Nonetheless, he asked, “Do you need help, miss?”

 

Emily shook her head.  “I’m fine.  I just get emotional when I’m hungry.”

 

He got the hint and handed over her burger.

 

They ate in silence for a while.

 

“I kicked you out of the shower because I wasn’t sure I could stop myself from hurting you.  It wasn’t that I didn’t want you there.  I really wanted you there.  It was a problem how badly I wanted you.”

 

She blushed.  God, he loved that.  A little extra burst of her scent flared around her every time she did that.

 

When they were done eating, Victor paid, then took Emily to find her a fall coat.  He picked out a knee length peacoat in navy.  She was prepared to go along with that.  He also got her some boots.  There was a lot more negotiation involved in that one.

 

“No!  I don’t want four inch heels, Victor!”

 

“Why not?  They make your legs look amazing and you are too short anyway.”  That was the wrong thing to say, but he wasn’t going to take it back.  To his surprise, that wasn’t what she argued over.

 

“They will make my legs hurt!  I can hardly walk in them!”

 

“You will learn.  I’ll rub your legs.”

 

“The first icy day, I will fucking break my ankle!”

 

“You can hold my arm, I won’t let you fall.”

 

The salesgirl went, “Aw!”

 

Emily turned and glared at her.

 

“I’ll find you something similar in a lower heel, shall I?”  The woman hurried off.

 

There were extensive negotiations before they settled on an inch and a half block heel.  Neither of them were totally happy about it, but they weren’t willing to argue about it any more.  Emily just shook her head.  It was going to be a long year. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Say something nice!


	22. The Other Deal

When they got back to the tower, the elevator took them to the common room.  Natasha and Clint were waiting for them.

 

“You’ve been busy.”  Natasha said dryly.  “How’d you get the werewolves to help?”

 

“I promised to have coffee with them if they did.”

 

“WHAT!?” Victor roared.

 

“Don’t yell at me!  That thing threw you in the river!  They were just standing there watching!  Besides, it’s only coffee and I’m only meeting them in the lobby.  I’m not leaving with them.  Jeez!  Why am I even explaining this to you?”

 

“Yeah, Victor, why does she need to explain anything to you?”  Natasha asked with a smirk.

 

Victor bared his teeth at her, “Because, Red, for the next year, I own her!”

 

“NO!” Emily said firmly.  “For the next year you get some of my time.  That’s all.  That’s all you asked for, that’s all I agreed to.  You don’t OWN me! And if you don’t stop being such an asshole, it’s going to be a tough year for both of us!”

 

Natasha grinned.  “Oh.  I like you, кролик.  Now, I owe you a shopping trip.  Victor isn’t invited.  How does that sound?”

 

“Right now, that sounds just fine.”

 

Self righteous rage carried Emily to the elevator ride, through the lobby, into a car with Natasha and Clint and part of the way through shopping for camisoles. When it melted away, she felt empty and alone.  “I don’t know if I can do this.”

 

“It’s OK, кролик, that shade of pink really isn’t as nice as on you as the green.”

 

“I mean spend a whole year with Victor.”

 

“Oh.  That.”  Natasha shrugged.  “It will be a year long battle of wills.  You know this.  Like I said, psychological warfare, but you already have an advantage.”

 

“What possible advantage do I have?”

 

“He clearly wants you more than you want him, but if he hurts you, the deal is off.”

 

“But if he kills me or abducts me-”

 

“He won’t abduct you.” Natasha said firmly.   
  


“No comment on the killing me option?”

 

Natasha shrugs, “You could get hit by a car crossing the street.  Everyone dies eventually.”

 

“That’s not exactly comforting.”

 

\----

 

Thomas was waiting in the lobby when they got back.  He was just sitting in the cafe, reading the paper drinking a coffee.  Emily ignored him. He ignored her.  She wasn’t going to try to convince herself that he hadn’t noticed her come in.  Jarvis took her back to her room, complete with dirty dishes.

 

She took a moment to put them in the dishwasher and start a load of laundry.  Then she put on Thomas's coat and got into the elevator.  She pushed L for lobby.  There was no comment until the elevator stopped.  Then Jarvis said, “Do I need to remind you that you aren’t supposed to leave the build unescorted, Ms. Farthing?”

 

“Relax.  I’m just getting a tea and a packet of madelines, then I’ll come back upstairs when I’m finished.”

 

“Is this the same promise as when you said you only needed to see Mr Creed for a few minutes this morning?”

 

“Hey!  Be fair, Mr Jarvis!  I was only there for a few minutes when he left.”

 

“Well, I suppose I can’t argue with that.”

 

The doors opened and she walked over to the cafe and sat at Thomas’ table.  The waitress came over and Emily ordered an Earl Grey with honey and her cookies.  

 

Thomas was completely focused on her.  It was 50/50 split between flattering and creepy.  She looked at him.  “I’ll leave the coat on the chair when I’m finished my tea, if that’s alright.”

 

“Of course.  Did you enjoy the show?”

 

“I’m sorry?”

 

“Of us fighting the thing.”

 

“Oh!  Yes.  Good job.”  Thomas looked so happy, Emily was willing to bet he was wagging his tail on the inside.

 

“So, why don’t you tell me about yourself, Emily.”

 

Emily sighed.  “Well, I worked as a waitress for a few years to save up for trade school.  I was about three months in when I was attacked by a dog and forced to discontinue.  I was medi-vac’d to the nearest orthopedic surgeon, where they tried to wire my shoulder back together.  I had a horribly painful postoperative infection that didn’t respond to antibiotics.  Was that the virus your friend infected me with?”

 

Thomas swallowed and looked down.  “I don’t know.”

 

“I went septic.  I almost died.  The surgeon went back in and removed my humeral head and installed an artificial joint, except that didn’t ever set properly.  Three months later, I woke up when Victor broke into the flop house I was staying in and made me breakfast.  Four months after that the infection was out of control and the surgeon was preparing to remove my arm to save my life, when I traded Victor a year of my time if he would arrange for Stark Medical to save my arm.”

 

Thomas didn’t interrupt but he stared at her with the blood draining from his face.  “It isn’t supposed to go like that.”

 

“Well, it did.  My arm is saved and my year is starting tomorrow.”

 

“We can get you out of here.”

 

“No.  I made the deal.  I will stand by my word.”

 

Thomas nodded slowly.  “Are you going to be staying here for that year?”

 

“I believe so.”

 

“We will keep an eye on you.”

 

“Great another batch of stalkers, like one wasn’t enough.”

 

Thomas tilted his head.  “If he hurts you, we will intervene whether you want us to or not.”

 

“Hmm.”  Emily drank the rest of her tea in silence.  Then she stood up and took off the coat and hung it on the back of her chair.

 

Thomas caught her arm as she started to walk away. Security started to rush over, but she shook her head, no.  “Thank you for honouring our arrangement.” He nodded at the jacket, “That is more than I could have hoped for.”

 

Emily blushed.  Thomas grinned.  Emily ran for the elevator.  Thomas finished his coffee, put on his jacket, then collected the bins of clothing from the security desk.  Happy glared at him as he handed them over.  “Anytime The Avengers need help, my family is more than willing to pitch in… if you get her to ask me.”

 

Once Emily was back in the elevator, she asked Jarvis to take her back to her apartment.

 

“Ms. Farthing, Mr. Creed has taken the liberty of moving everything out of your apartment on the eleventh floor to his rooms.”

 

Emily thought about that.

 

“Will I still be able to hide in the other apartment?”

 

“With care.  Is that where you are going now?”

 

“Um… I should go check in.”

 

“Make sure you bring your bags from shopping with Agent Romanov.” 

 

“Oh, right!  OK, if you could drop me off to get those, that would be great.”

 

When she got to Victor’s door, she hesitantly knocked.  Victor pulled open the door and opened his mouth to say something, then froze and scowled.  Emily dropped her gaze and said quietly, “I got rid of the puppies.”

 

Victor smelled surprised.  “Thank you, Emily.”

 

She nodded and shifted her weight awkwardly, still not looking at him.  “Um… my stuff-”

 

“I put it all in the second bedroom.  I couldn’t find that big old skillet you had-”

 

“It was my Grandmother’s, I left it somewhere safe.”

 

Victor paused.  He wondered if it was safe in a pawn shop when she couldn’t afford groceries one week.  Fuck.  He never should have left her there.  He cleared his throat.  “I’ll order you another one off eBay.”

 

Emily was surprised, she looked up at him and tried to read his face.  Then she remembered to try to read his smell.  Lust, anger… something else.  She went back to looking at her shoes.  “I’ll try to wash the smell off where one of them grabbed my arm.  If I’m allowed in to use the shower.”

 

Then Victor realized he was completely blocking the door. He hurriedly stepped aside, then took the bags as she came in.  “How was shopping with Red?”

 

Emily shrugged with her right shoulder, then tried again with both of them.  It didn’t hurt anymore.  “She said the next year is going to be a battle of wills. I think she is planning to bring popcorn.”

 

Victor snorted, “Yeah, that sounds like her.”

 

He closed the door.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter - the sleep over. Emily won't be hopped up on puppy pheromones anymore, so this will be interesting.
> 
> Comments are always welcome. They are what keep me writing.


	23. Sleepover

Emily knew which room was Victor’s, so by default the other one was the second bedroom.  It had a private four piece bathroom, because of course Tony Stark would build it like that.  The bathroom in the second bedroom was bigger as her childhood bedroom in the 800 square foot house Emily grew up in.  Victor had hung up her clothes, put things away in drawers and gotten her fresh towels.  If she concentrated even a little she could smell where he had touched everything.  Last night and this morning that had been incredibly comforting.

 

Now it felt… intrusive?  She wasn’t quite sure how to describe the wrongness of having Victor’s smell on everything she owned.

 

She closed the door to her room and sat on the floor and wept silently for a good half hour.  Then she had a shower and put on her pj’s.  A brief hunt found the book she was reading, she propped herself up in bed and turned on the bedside light and tried to find her page.

 

There was a knock on the door.

 

Emily waited to see what happened next.

 

There was another knock on the door, followed by, “Emily, you need to come out and eat something.”

 

“I’m not hungry right now.” She thought for a moment, then added, “Thank you.”

 

She could hear him pacing on the other side of the door.

 

“I’m trying to not just come in there and drag you out.  It’s time to fucking eat something!”

 

Emily got out of bed and marched over to the door.  She flung it open prepared to snarl back at him, but his smell hit her and she froze, then gagged.

 

He looked nervous.  “What’s wrong?”

 

It took her a moment to even figure out how to talk.  “You touched my things.  Everything I own smells like you.  It’s… “she waved her hands wildly and fought to find the right word.

 

“Disconcerting?”

 

Emily glared at him.  “I don’t know what that means!”

 

Victor looked at her.  “Upsetting.”

 

“Yeah!  It’s upsetting. You said you weren’t trying to cross the line, but when all of my underwear smells like you, that is so far across the line, I can’t even see it from here!”

 

Victor swallowed and nodded.  “I didn't think about that.”

 

“Did you think about asking me before you invaded my space? Or where I would want to sleep?  Or any time to let me ease into this?”

 

Victor hadn't, but damned if he was going to admit that.  “I thought about giving you your own room instead of making you sleep in mine!” It came out harsher than he intended.

 

Emily immediately sagged and looked at the floor. “Thank you,” she whispered, smelling afraid. 

 

“Put on clothes, we’re going for supper.”

 

Emily nodded. She put on the clothes she had been wearing earlier.  It was almost a relief to not be wearing the pajamas he had touched.

 

When they got to the common room, Natasha hurried over.  “What did he do?”

 

Emily just shook her head. “Nothing.  I’m fine.”

 

“Bullshit.”

 

Victor and Natasha glared at each other.

 

Emily changed the subject, “Hey!  The team is back!”

 

Tony waved, “Miss me half pint?”

 

“Maybe it’s nice to have someone around here I don’t have to look up to.”

 

Pepper laughed.  “You should come sit with us tonight, Emily.”

 

“Um… I would like to talk to Dr Banner, actually.”

 

Bruce looked up.  “Huh?”

 

Emily got the chicken and herb roasted potatoes and salad, then sat down next to him.  “My shoulder doesn’t hurt.”

 

Bruce looked at her blankly.

 

“At all.” She continued.  “And I think I have full range of motion back in my arm.”

 

“Whoa!  What did you do?”

 

“I don’t know.  I’ve felt really weird all day, but my shoulder doesn’t hurt.”

 

Tony came over and sat across from them.  “Felt weird, how, exactly?”

 

Emily tried to  put it into words, “Mood swings worse than going through puberty, too much energy, then being completely exhausted.  Really, really hungry this morning but now… “ she looked at her plate.  “I’m only here trying to eat because Victor said I have to.”

 

Natasha frowned.  “You don’t have to listen to him.”

 

Emily shook her head.  “I said I would give him a year of my time and I’m going to give it my best try.  Turning up for dinner when I don’t feel like it isn’t the worst thing.”

 

Everyone turned and looked at Victor, he ignored them.

 

Emily cleared her throat.  “So… movie night tonight?”

 

Pepper shook her head.  “We put them on to help Steve get caught up.  He’s busy tonight.”

 

“Yeah, I noticed he’s missing.  Him and Thor.”

 

Darcy started to laugh.

 

“Oh.  OK.  Um… nevermind.”  Emily blushed.

 

Bruce was watching her.  “I’d like to run some more tests, see if we can find anything new.”

 

Emily shrugged.  “Sure.”

 

Victor didn’t even look up.  “In a couple of days, when she’s settled in.”

 

Natasha walked past and smacked the back of his head.  Victor stood up so fast his chair fell over and snarled at her.

 

Fear.  Emily was afraid. He looked at her.  Emily was afraid of him.  Victor carefully picked up his chair and sat down.

 

Natasha nodded at him.  “Have I made my point?  She’s going to need some time to get used to the idea of you being around all the time.  Taking some time to go for tests or coffee or to the gym by herself will work to your advantage in the long run.”

 

The Runt took that opportunity to speak up.  “He isn’t worried about the tests because he knows exactly what happened to her.  She’s full Yennork now.”

 

Suddenly everyone was staring at her.

 

Natasha was the only one who didn’t look surprised.

 

Victor was regretting that he had insisted on food.  Especially since she wasn’t eating it, she was just cutting it into smaller and smaller pieces and pushing it around on her plate.  “Are you going to eat that?” he demanded.

 

She took a little piece of chicken and put it in her mouth and slowly chewed then swallowed.  Then she took a sip of her drink and went back to just sort of stirring her plate.  

 

Victor left.  Took the elevator all the way to the lobby, paused to punch the puppy sitting at the cafe, then head out to get a drink.  Stark won’t let him have alcohol in the tower.  Which just meant he had to leave to get a drink.  Really, for a genius playboy philanthropist billionaire, the man wasn’t that good at tactical planning.  The man really should have talked to Steve about that one. 

 

Four hours later, it was technically the next day when he got back to his apartment.  The booze having burned off on the walk home.  There was no way he was expecting her to still be there.   She was.  He could smell where she had been doing laundry.  Probably washing her panties.  Too bad, he had liked the idea of her walking around with her cunt smelling like him.  It wasn’t what he was thinking of when he had moved her into his place.  But once she brought it up, it had been a pleasant side effect for him.

 

He had a shower to wash the bar smell off.  This left him with a problem.  He went regimental, by preference.  He also didn’t have any pajama pants, it wasn’t worth the bother.  His first thought was, she can just deal with seeing him naked.  Then he tried to imaging how her coming out of her room in the morning and seeing all of him drinking coffee would work.

 

It didn’t seem like it would go well.

 

“Jarvis, how do I get pajama pants at … 1am?”

 

“May I suggest borrowing a pair from Mr. Odinson?  At 6’6, he is the same height as you.”

 

“I thought he was busy making time with his girl?”

 

“He keeps a spare pair of sweatpants in his gym locker.”

 

Victor nodded, tied the towel around his waist and headed to the gym.  Thor’s locker was locked, but he had claws and -

 

“The combination is 18-27-3.  Please do not damage Mr. Odinson’s property.”

 

Victor considered this. “Are you supposed to be telling me that?”

 

“I’m not supposed to be telling you where to steal your teammates pants.  However, I have weighted the distress of Mr Odinson losing his spare workout clothes to that of Ms Farthing waking to your usual state of undress and find this to be the preferable option.”

 

Victor opened the lock and put on the pants.  When he closed the door The Runt was watching him.  “Problem?” he snarled.

 

Logan didn’t say anything, he just shook his head, no.

 

“Good!” Victor left.

 

He got back to his apartment and crawled into bed.  The sheets smelled like her.  He hugged his pillow and breathed deep, then got up to use his new toys and have another shower.  It was three am.  Was there really any point in trying to go to sleep?  He could just skip it.  His body would adapt, he’d just be a little tense.

 

He found himself pacing in front of her door.

 

This was stupid!  He should just go in there and take what he wanted!  She was his!  Fuck!

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Share the love if you have it!
> 
> (Also, that was my actual locker combination in high school)


	24. Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> BIG HEADS UP! The tags have changed. There is now a past child abuse warning because of how Victor's parents reacted to his mutation. It is more or less what you get from Marvel, so if you are familiar with the character, there won't be any surprises. I have played with the story a bit to accommodate both the Victor Creed and the Dog Logan origin stories (as I remember them).
> 
> Memory is a fiction writer, though, so if you absolutely know I have messed it up, I am completely blaming dramatic licence. This is the origin story we are going with for this story.

Emily slept herself out and woke up at nine am the next morning.  She didn’t usually sleep that late, but she had been up washing everything she owned and the sheets.  She yawned and sleep walked through brushing her teeth.  She was rubbing her eyes and wondered if Victor had coffee when she opened her door and tripped over Victor on her way out of her room.

 

He had been sleeping curled into the fetal position in her doorway, but he had just done something cat-like so when she fell, she landed on him.

 

“What the actual fuck are you doing!?” she screamed as she flailed to climb off of him.

 

“Not going into your room while you are sleeping,” he grumbled. Then he added, in a snarky sing song voice, “You’re welcome.”

 

Emily just stared at him.  Then she turned around and went back into her room and closed the door.  Victor stood up and flung it open and demanded,  “What?”

 

“You’re being a jerk.  I’m waiting for you to have breakfast or whatever you need to do to start acting like a person again.  In the meantime, I am trying to avoid screaming at you or crying in the first five minutes of our first day together.”  At this point she turned to look at him.  “I’m sorry, I need to ask, why do your pants smell like Thor?”

 

Victor started to laugh.  Emily marched over and grabbed the door with one hand and went to push him out of the room with the other.  He caught it and held it to his chest.  “You’re right.  It’s uncomfortable wearing clothes that smell like someone else.”

 

She gave him a wary look.  “You didn’t actually answer my question.”

 

“I don’t have pajamas but I didn’t think you’d want me walking around naked this morning.”

 

“So… you’re wearing Thor’s?”

 

Victor shrugged. “I stole them out of his locker.”

 

Emily just stared at him.  “Huh.  That’s…  kinda sweet actually.  In a completely weird kind of way.”  She pulled her hand away.  “Is there coffee, or do I have to wait until we go downstairs?”

 

“I’ll make you coffee.  I can probably even manage oatmeal.”

 

“You have oatmeal?” she was skeptical.

 

“Fuck!  You think I didn’t notice you having the same god damn thing for breakfast every fucking day for the last two months?”

 

She closed her eyes and breathed out in an exasperated sigh through her nose.

 

“Right.  Jerk again, huh?”

 

She nodded without opening her eyes.  His smell moved away, but she couldn’t actually hear his footsteps.  Then there were sounds from the kitchen.  She opened her eyes, closed her door and went back to bed for twenty minutes.

 

This time when she got up, Victor was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.  He was in the kitchen frying eggs in a stainless steel pan.  Well, actually, he was swearing at eggs stuck in a stainless steel pan, trying and failing to get them out of the pan without breaking the yokes.  She watched as he snarled and just pitched the whole thing into the garbage.  The smoke detector went off.  An industrial fan kicked in and sucked the smoke out of the room.  Emily grabbed the garbage can and the hose in the sink and put out the fire.

 

In the aftermath, she turned and looked at Victor.  “So… freaks and geeks cafe for breakfast?”

 

“No!  I made oatmeal and coffee and bacon.  I was doing fine until I got to the eggs.”

 

Emily shrugged and sat down at the island.  Victor poured her a coffee and added a little honey and handed it to her, followed by a bowl of oatmeal and a plate of bacon.  The bacon was nice and crispy, the oatmeal was some of the best she’d ever had.  Victor watched her eat for a moment.  Then he got himself a bowl and crumpled some bacon into his oatmeal and topped it with brown sugar, before stirring it all together.

 

Emily watched him eat the first spoonful with a quizzical expression on her face. 

 

“What?” he demanded.

 

She blushed and looked down at her bowl. There was a long moment of silence then a spoonful of oatmeal with bacon inched into her field of view.  She looked up at Victor.

 

“You can try it, if you want.”

 

Emily covers his hand with hers and carefully eats a spoonful of Victor’s oatmeal.  “It’s… not bad.  Sweet, salty, chewy.  I might just need to work up to that.”

 

Victor drops his spoon in his bowl and stomps off to the fridge.  He’s back a moment later with a carton of blueberries.  He slides them over to Emily without a word.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“I do know how to cook eggs.”

 

“I know. They looked great when you made them when you broke in.  It's just that cast iron pans cook a little differently.”

 

Victor grunted. 

 

Emily ate in silence for a few minutes.  “I bet cast iron was what you learned to cook on.  Did your mom teach you?”

 

“Ma chained me up in the root cellar and tried to pray the demon out of me when my teeth and claws came in.  Pulled them out with pliers a couple of times. She wasn’t too pleased when they grew back. I was down there for more than a year when she got too close and I killed her. Pa was already fucking Jimmy’s mother for a couple of years by then, so he told everyone it was a bear attack.”

 

Victor stopped and sniffed. Surprise and sadness, not fear or pity.  He continued, “When I was about twelve or so, Jimmy got real sick.  Pa worked for his parents, so I sat with him while he had a fever.  Then Pa got real drunk and barged in and claimed Jimmy as his own.  Jimmy’s father tried to send Pa home, but Pa shot him.  Got Jimmy’s mother by accident.  Jimmy panicked, his claws came in and he put them through Pa’s chest.  We were on our own after that.  Hiding in the wood, scavenging for clothes and food, ‘til Jimmy was big enough to get into the army.  Fuck, he was still too small, but the recruiter wanted me and I wasn’t gonna sign up unless Jimmy was in my unit.”

 

“How old were you?”

 

“Don’t know, maybe twenty.  When was the Boer War?  They all run together after a while.”

 

“When your teeth and claws came in?”

 

“Eight.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Don't go looking in my past, fra- Emily, you won't like what you find there.”

 

“Maybe.  But it may also help explain how you can be creepy or yelling at me one moment and that sweet guy who noticed I like blueberries the next.”

 

“I am NOT sweet!”

 

“You are kinda proving my point here.”

 

Victor glared at her.  Emily went back to focusing on her oatmeal. She finished up, put her dishes in the dishwasher and went to shower and get dressed.   When she came out of her room Victor was gone. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make the writing go!


	25. Syndrome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hulk chicken!

It was a day full of MRIs, blood tests and physiotherapy exams.  Mark tested her range of motion and had her doing specific strength and flexibility tests. They didn't have a preinjury baseline for her, but Emily was pretty sure this was better than the best she would have done. 

 

After lunch, they tested her reaction time and gave her a stress test.  Emily did her very best, but everyone was muttering to themselves by the end. 

 

Dr Banner asked at one point if that was as fast as she could go.  She honestly did try to go faster, but any little extra burst of speed she was able to pull out only lasted a minute or so. By the time they had her stop, she was just dripping with sweat. 

 

“I… think… I … can… keep… going.” she panted as they told her to start slowing down. 

 

“No,” said Dr Banner, “we have what we need, time to start wrapping it up.”

 

Emily nodded. 

 

Natasha came in when Emily was heading into the shower. “I'll give you a massage when you're done in there.”

 

Emily frowned, “My massage therapist is Rebecca.”

 

Natasha nodded, “Yeah, but we have to really step up security now around who all is walking around with your scent on them.  It's ok, I know what I'm doing.”

 

Emily shrugged, “OK.”

 

It turned out Natasha really knew what she was doing. Emily was completely relaxed when Natasha asked, “How's the scent sensitivity going?”

 

“It's fine.  I can mostly ignore it now.  Except for Victor.  He is all the smells. And it changes based on his mood.  Shit, Natasha, I thought I had bad mood swings, but I've got nothing compared to him.”

 

“Huh.  When’s your cycle due next?”

 

“Dunno.  I haven’t had one since I got here.  I don’t even know if it will come back.  There was a puppy in the drugstore who said it would, but I have no idea if he was right.”

 

“OK.  We will need to find a way to deal with that.  I’m not sure how hormonal birth control would work for Yennork.”

 

There was a few minutes of silence after that.

 

“Emily, are you familiar with the term Stockholm Syndrome?”

 

“I’ve heard the phrase, but I don’t really know very much about it.”

 

“It’s where hostages or people at the mercy of others start to identify with their captors and will act against their own best interests to keep the person with power happy.  In extreme cases, it starts to set in within the first few hours of captivity.  I am expecting it to be inevitable in the arrangement you have with Victor.”

 

“Oh.  So what do I do?”

 

“I’m going to make sure you get weekly talk therapy for the whole year you are together, or until Victor messes up and things end sooner.  Also, I’m letting you know now that when your year is up, you, me and Clint are going on a month long Victor free vacation.  You will need to get some perspective before you decide what to do next, because when the year is over, staying with him will seem like the easy thing to do.”

 

Emily considered all of this.  “That sounds reasonable.”

 

“Good.  I need to try to remember that as this all progresses.  How are you feeling now?”

 

“Really tired.”

 

Natasha laughed.  “No kidding.  That was a really impressive run you did.  If there was ever any doubt in anyone’s minds about you being enhanced, it was completely erased after that.”

 

“Why do you say that?”

 

Natasha snorted.  “Oh, кролик, you just ran a marathon in 1:53.”

 

“Is that good?”

 

“The current women’s record is 2:17.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah, that is right up there with Steve’s running times.”

 

“Oh.”  Emily thought for a moment.  “So, is it OK if I go for a nap now?”

 

“Snacks first.”

 

\----

 

If Emily thought she was tired before, she was almost ready to fall down after eating a plate full of snacks Natasha had carefully curated.  She could barely keep her eyes open as she got into the elevator.  She hesitated over which button to press.

 

“Um… Mr Jarvis?”

 

“Yes, Ms Farthing?”

 

“Do you know where Victor is?”

 

“Mr. Creed is not currently in the building.  Do you need me to contact him by phone?”

 

“No, thank you.”  Emily pushed the button for 12.  “I just don’t feel right being in his apartment when he isn’t there.”

 

Her apartment still had a hint of puppy smell where Thomas’s jacket had lain on her floor.  And more of his smell where she had worn his jacket to bed.  She found Victor’s T-shirt on the floor and put it on, then curled up in her bed and fell asleep.

 

She woke with her fingers between her legs.  That was new.  She finished what she started and went back to sleep.  When she woke she realized it had already been a two shower day and she was hungry again, so she had a quick clean up before heading out.  Her fridge was still empty and there was always food in the common area.

 

The room was already full when she got there.  She climbed out of the elevator and walked purposefully towards the snack bar.  Victor was suddenly standing right in front of her, way too close. He tossed her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and headed back to the elevator.

 

“Stop!  Put me down, right now!”

 

He did.

 

Then Logan’s claws burst through his chest and Emily screamed.

 

At that point, it was on.  Brother versus brother, both of them fighting full out.  It was incredibly bloody.  Victor was bigger, stronger, faster, but his bones broke and Logan’s didn’t. 

 

The fight ended when Mjolnir caught Victor in the back of the head and he was knocked out. 

 

Logan was completely focused on Emily and started to stalk forward.

 

She marched up to him and slapped him as hard as she could, then whimpered and tried to massage some life back into her hand.  “What the fuck was that, you asshole?  He wasn’t even touching me when you stabbed him!”

 

Logan shook his head and stared at her. “He was carrying you off!”

 

“Look!  I can understand that the two of you like to play together, but not by the food!  Or where I’m going to end up with blood spray all over my clothes!”

 

“You think we were playing?” Logan asked in disbelief.

 

“Well, that or flirting, I understand it can be hard to tell with you two sometimes.”

 

Victor started to laugh from where he was sprawled out on the floor.

 

Emily ignored the blood on her shirt in favour of getting to the snack bar.  Victor got up and followed behind her, still standing so close that she bumped into him with a profanity laden crash on her way to the table.

 

Clint made eye contact with Natasha *What was that all about?* he signed.

 

*Mate guarding.* she replied.

 

*Really?*

 

*Yes.*

 

Clint shrugged.

 

Whatever he was going to say next was stalled by the Avengers being called out to help with a giant, green, fire breathing chicken that had suddenly materialized in Iowa.

 

“Really?” Victor demanded, “We are going after chickens now?”

 

Tony shrugged.  “They think someone might have been testing a version of the Hulk serum on it.”

 

Victor looked at Emily.  “I’ll be here when you get back,” she said.

 

Darcy piped up with, “We can hang out and watch chick flicks and eat popcorn and keep Jane from going on a science bender.”

 

“Sounds like fun.”  Emily said still watching Victor.  “Off you go.  I promise I won’t go into your apartment without you.”

 

Victor nodded and left.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment, and consider making a donation to support the site if you can.


	26. Mate Guarding

Darcy was the only one still awake when the team got back. Everyone was looking a little worse for wear.  Victor was missing an eyebrow and the hair from one side of his face and head, but his skin was all healed up.  Noticeably absent were Logan and Bruce.

 

Thor walked over and just scooped Jane up from where she was sleeping on the couch and left with her in his arms.

 

Victor grumbled about no one stabbing blondie when he tried that.

 

Emily blinked, “You’re back.”

 

“You’re still bloody.”

 

“It’s weird going into your apartment when you aren’t there.”

 

“It’s your apartment now too.”

 

Emily yawned and stretched and shook her head.  “You’re hungry.  Am I going to need to trick you into eating ice cream again?”

 

Victor sat on the couch and pulled her into his lap.  He nuzzled her neck, “Ice cream isn’t what I’m thinking about eating just now.”

 

Darcy cleared her throat, “Really fucking inappropriate when she’s not your girlfriend.”

 

“Still pretty inappropriate in public even if she was.”  Natasha added.

 

Victor made a purring sound way deep in his chest.  “Can I take you back to my place and tell you what I want to do to you?  I’m making Red uncomfortable,”

 

Emily shook her head.  “Eat something first.”

 

Victor growled and licked her neck.

 

Emily shivered and tried to climb out of his lap.  Victor was holding tight.  “Let go!” she insisted. He did and she got up. “Ice cream or what?”

 

“Not hungry.”

 

“Ha!  I can smell that you are lying now!  Look, you are grumpy enough when you are well fed, I can only imagine what kind of a bear you turn into when you don’t eat.”

 

Clint suddenly developed a cough.  Victor glared at him.  Emily ignored him.  “It’s, like, four am.  Do you want to just have breakfast, or do I need to start listing the contents of the snack bar?”

 

Victor stormed over to the snack bar and grabbed a bag of jerky with bad grace.  While he was shoving bits of dried cow into his mouth, Emily asked, “What happened to Dr Banner and Logan?”

 

Victor growled.

 

Tony cleared his throat.  “Bruce is struggling with having ripped a twelve foot high, fire breathing chicken in half.  Logan just went back to his room when we landed.”

 

“Is he ok?”

 

Natasha gave a look that Emily did understand. “Do you want to go check on him?”

 

Emily was avoiding eye contact.  “I don’t think he actually likes me that much.  I don’t want to bother him if he’s upset from the … emergency.”

 

Natasha smirked.  “I don’t think that’s what has him upset.”

 

Suddenly Emily looked horrified.  “Oh my god!  I can’t believe I slapped him!  I am going to have to apologize the next time I see him!”  Victor choked. “If you actually chewed your food instead of trying to inhale it, that wouldn’t happen,” she continued.

 

Clint’s mysterious cough got significantly worse.

 

Victor crammed the last couple of pieces of jerky in his mouth and tossed the bag. Then he dug in the fridge and pulled out a six pack of beer.  He glared at Stark.

 

“Yeah, ok, you did good, I’ll let it slide this time.” Tony said.

 

Victor handed Emily the beer then looked hard at her.  “Let me do this,” he demanded as he picked her up the way that Thor had cradled Jane and headed to the elevator.

 

Emily clutched at the beer with one hand and slung her other arm around Victor’s neck.  “I feel ridiculous.”

 

“I just had half my face burned off by a fire breathing chicken. Humour me.”

 

She peeked over his shoulder as they got on the elevator and was suddenly holding on a lot tighter.  “Holy shit, you’re tall!”

 

“Tough.”

 

“You are going to put me down to open the door, right?  I don’t have to worry about you breaking out some weird juggling skills to keep me and the beer in the air while you are running the lock, do I?”

 

“You can open the door.”

 

“I’m holding the beer.”

 

“You’ll figure it out.”

 

“I don’t even like American beer.  Next time grab the scotch.”

 

Victor snorted and got off the elevator. “He wouldn’t have let me take the scotch.”

 

Emily tried to make the door open, it took a moment, but she got it.

 

Victor considered this, “How do you like scotch?”  He kicked the door closed once they were through.

 

“I was a waitress, remember? The owner would sometimes have tasting parties for the bar staff.” She put the beer on the counter.  “Can you set me down now?”

 

“Nope.”  He headed off toward her bedroom.

 

“Stop!  You are not carrying me to my bed!”

 

Victor considered this, then he turned around and sat on the couch with her in his lap.  “No?” he asked quietly.

 

“No.  This whole apartment is yours.  Your kitchen, your living room, your dining room.  That room is the only place here that smells like mine.”  She took a deep breath and looked away.  “I would like to keep my own space, even if it is just one room.”

 

He nuzzled her neck.  “Wanna watch you sleep.”

 

She tensed and tried to process that.

 

“Need to see you.  Need to know you’re safe.”

 

She swallowed and tried to decide if she could live with that.  He wasn’t asking to go into her room, this was a fairly calm negotiation. 

 

“You needed my smell.  Needed to sleep in my bed.  I gave you that.  Same thing.  I need this.”  He was smelling her hair, but his hands were respectfully around her shoulders, rather than wandering her body like her ex-boyfriend would do. “Won’t hurt you, won’t touch you, if you say.”

 

“On the couch or are you wanting me in your bed?”

 

Victor moaned softly, but he said, “Your choice.”

 

“OK.  But I want to go brush my teeth and wash up first.”

 

Victor reluctantly let go of her.  Emily almost ran to her room.  She closed the door firmly.  At least it wasn’t a slam he thought.

 

Twenty minutes later, he was pretty sure she wasn’t coming out.  Then she did.  Tank top, sleep shorts showing off a nice set of legs, hair in a braid.  “We’re not using my blankets for this,” she announced as she sat on the couch. Victor was going to pull the one off his bed, then thought better of it and grabbed one from his closet.  It would still smell like him but maybe not be too overpowering.

 

Emily wrapped up in the blanket Victor gave her.  It was folded and clean, which was a lot better than she thought she would get.  She lay down on the couch and carefully spread the blanket over her.  Victor went and sat in the armchair across the room.  He was watching her, all right, with an unblinking intensity that was unnerving. 

 

After a moment, she said, “Look, having you stare at me like that is really creepy.  I was much more comfortable the time I fell asleep on you at the movie.  How do you feel about sharing the couch?”

 

Victor was out of the chair and across the room in under two seconds.  Emily sat up.  Victor sat down. Emily put her head in his lap.  Victor gave a little sigh and Emily could almost feel some of the tension drain out of him.  His hand went towards her shoulder, then made a sudden course correction and end up along the back of the couch.

 

“Shoulders are ok.  Well, tonight.  You will have to ask again later.”

 

Victor shook his head.  “Want to pet your hair, but don’t want to piss you off when I mess up your braid.”

 

Emily reached back and pulled out the elastic and put it around her wrist like a bracelet.  “Just don’t scratch me or pull my hair.”

 

She felt his hand trembling slightly as he caressed her head.

 

“Emily?  Thank you.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what I want


	27. Buying Love

Emily dreamed of cold.  Burning cold.  The kind of -60C with the windchill cold you get for two weeks every January in northern Alberta.  Lost with the snow swirling around her and the wind blowing through her bones. She tucked her hands into her armpits and tried to curl up a little tighter.  Overhead the northern lights swirled and the wolves howled around. There was the sharp bite of teeth tearing into her shoulder.  She screamed.

 

Emily opened her eyes.  Victor was still carding his fingers through her hair.  Through the window, the sun was coming up.  “Don’t you need to sleep?”

 

Victor shrugged.  “It’s nice if I can, but if I don’t, it’s a couple of days before I start to have problems.”

 

“Will I be like that?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“I don’t understand why I slapped Logan or why I needed to sleep in your bed.  I just did.  I hate feeling like I’m not in control of my life.”

 

Victor snorted, “Live long enough and you realize no one is in control of their life.  You just do your best with what turns up.”

 

“You said you needed to watch me sleep.  Is that something you understand?  That you can explain?”

 

Victor tensed. “Yes, but I don’t like the explanation and you will like it even less.  It may be better just not knowing.”

 

Emily considered this.  “Are you hunting me?”

 

Victor flat out laughed at that.  “No!  You don’t have to worry about that.”

 

“Oh.” Emily watched the sunrise for another few minutes.  “I think I need to sleep more.”

 

“OK.”

 

“If we went to your room, we could close the blinds and you could sleep too.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“No.  But I’m trying.”

 

“I don’t ever want you to be afraid of me.  If you aren’t happy in there, tell me and we can come back to the couch.”

 

Emily nodded and untangled herself from the blanket.  She wasn’t really surprised when Victor scooped her up as soon as she was standing.  “I can walk.”

 

“Your legs hurt.”

 

“Just a little.”

 

“You want me to stop?”

 

They were through the door to his room now, so there wasn’t really any point in insisting.  So instead she went with “Umm-”

 

Victor didn’t even give her a chance to finish, rather he lobbed her at the bed.  Emily shrieked and tried to get her feet under her, but she landed in the center of the mattress before she had a chance.  She lay there willing her heart rate to return to normal.  “That would have been a lot of fun with a little warning.”

 

Victor pounced from the doorway.  Emily screamed again and covered her face, but even from more than eight feet away, he made a perfect four point landing, caging her in.  “I’m having fun,” he grinned.  “You scream so nice.  I wonder what other sounds I can get you to make.”

 

“Can we try for snoring?”

 

Victor grumbled but climbed off of her.  Emily pulled back the covers.  “How do you even fit in a double bed?”

 

“I don’t.  This is Stark being petty.”  Victor spooned up behind her. “What were you dreaming about?”

 

“I don’t know.  Cold, winter. Freezing to death.  It didn’t make a lot of sense.”

 

He squeezed her a little tighter and nuzzled her hair.  “I’ll keep you warm.”

 

“Victor?”

 

“Yes, Emily?”

 

“If you are going to keep touching me like that…”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Can you just…. lie and say you love me every now and then?  Please?  I need that.”

 

Victor went very still.  “I’ll think about it.”

 

“OK.”

 

\----

 

Emily woke up with Victor completely sprawled over her.  She was way too hot, her tank top soaked with sweat and sticking to her.  She tried to push him off but it was like being trapped under a brick wall.  A snoring brick wall.  She jerked her head back as hard as she could and caught him in the throat, “Roll over!” she insisted.

 

Victor grumbled in his sleep, but rolled on to his back and stretched out.  This meant his feet were hanging off the end of the bed.  Smiling to herself, Emily got up and started looking through the cupboards for stuff to make buttermilk pancakes.  She had eggs and butter.  She looked around for the phone to call Mr Jarvis to see if she could get the other things.  There wasn’t a phone that she could see.

 

That wasn’t totally surprising.  Victor probably just used his cell.  She wandered out of the apartment and onto the elevator.  Then instead of choosing a floor, she pressed the help button.

 

“How can I be of assistance, Ms Farthing?”

 

“Mr Jarvis!  I want to make pancakes, but I need some ingredients.”  She thought for a moment.  “And a new frying pan.”

 

There was a pause.  “I’m sorry, Ms Farthing, but Mr Stark has left strict instructions that the staff is not to clean up or replace anything that Mr Creed destroys in his apartment.”

 

“What?   That thing with the pan yesterday was an accident.”

 

“Nonetheless, those are my instructions.”

 

“Oh.”  Emily sagged.  “I understand.  Thank you anyway, Mr Jarvis.”  The elevator doors opened.  She considered the hallway.  One of these other doors belonged to Logan.  In theory, he would have a frying pan, but that didn’t actually help her get buttermilk or flour or baking soda.

 

Emily was trying to problem solve this one on her own.  Let’s see… my social assistance should still be going into my bank account, but I don’t know if I can use my debit card out of the country.  I don’t actually have any cash, but if I call my bank maybe they can help me figure out the money part.  This is New York, there has to be a grocery store around here som-

 

Victor burst out of his apartment, startling Emily out of her reverie. She jumped a little.  He froze.  “What are you doing out here?” he snapped.

 

“I was trying to figure out how to get stuff to make pancakes for breakfast and Mr Jarvis completely let me down this time.”

 

“What?”  Victor was genuinely confused.

 

“I make great buttermilk pancakes.  Except I don’t have the ingredients and the frying pan went away after yesterday’s… accident.”

 

He was still staring at her.  “I just thought that since you made breakfast yesterday, it was my turn.”

 

“You were gonna cook for me?” Victor asked in disbelief.

 

Emily sagged.  “Yeah, but I can’t.  All we have is eggs and butter and there isn’t even a pan to make scrambled eggs in let alone pancakes.  I’m sure we missed breakfast.  It’s, like, almost two, so we also missed lunch.”

 

Victor slung his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.  “Come on.  Get dressed.  I’ll take you out for pancakes.”

 

\----

 

Looking in the mirror, Victor picked up the clippers and buzzed what was left of his hair down to stubble.  It would take a couple of weeks for his hair to grow back.  It wasn’t self healing.  Black t-shirt, black jeans, his coat.  There were a few new slices in it.  He would need to either sew them up or get a new one.

 

He was surprised that Emily was waiting when he came out of his room.  Hair damp and in a braid down her back, she was wearing the coat and boots he bought her.  He felt a quiet burst of pride at that.  

 

“You’re staring at me.”

 

Victor grunted and headed to the elevator. 

 

As they were crossing the lobby, he headed off to the cafe.  The puppy jumped up and backed away.  Victor grinned.  Word must have gotten out.  He punched the puppy in the face.

 

“Victor!  What the hell?”

 

“I would tell you to leash your feral, but he would probably like it.” the puppy snarled.

 

“He’s stalking you!” Victor growled.

 

Emily, sighed.  “Sure, but technically so are you.  Why are you here, Mr Butterscotch?”

 

“Keeping an eye on you.”

 

“Well, don’t.  You should leave.  I never want to smell you or your pack again, Mr Butterscotch.”

 

“Why are you calling me that?”

 

“Are you kidding?  You smell like butterscotch.  Jeez, all you puppies smell like food.  It’s kind of ridiculous, really.  I have no idea how any of you ever sneak up on anyone.”

 

Butterscotch stared at her like she had grown a second head.

 

Victor grinned.  “The lady told you to leave.”

 

He threw a fifty on the table and left.

 

Victor watched him go.  Then he turned to Emily.  “Pancakes?”

 

“Yes please.”

 

\----

 

Victor was almost purring, watching Emily eat.  She was talking to him and ignoring the puppies that had started to drift into the diner.  She was talking about food and cooking and crap he didn’t really care about, but she was talking to him.  It sounded like growing up her family had a lot of home cooked meals with the whole clan attending.  Victor had seen that, but never really experienced it.  Then she went quiet and sad.

 

“You ok?”

 

She nodded and had another bite of her pancakes.  “I miss my mom.  She would have loved to see New York.”  She ate in silence for a few minutes.

 

Victor cleared his throat. “What’s on the shopping list?”

 

“Flour, baking soda and powder, buttermilk, shortening, vanilla, salt, sugar.  The usual pantry stuff.”

 

“A new skillet.” Victor added.

 

Emily wrinkled her nose.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing.”  She sighed.  “New cast iron pans aren’t as nice to cook in.  They are all bumpy on the inside.”

 

Victor shrugged.  “This is New York.  We’ll find one you like somewhere.”

 

“But I don’t know where to look.”  Emily thought for a moment, then closed her eyes and breathed deeply, turning her head this way and that.  She stood up.  Then she walked over to the kid in the back of the diner.  “Where do I find a not bumpy cast iron pan?”

 

“Why are you asking me?”

 

Emily just looked at him.

 

The kid sighed.  “You either need an antique store or Bloomingdales sells Finex.”

 

“Thank you.  What’s your name?”

 

“Mac.  Mac Dubh.”

 

“Any relation to Michael Dubh?”

 

“No!”  Mac looked totally offended.  “It means black.  Any looper you want to meet will have a last name that means black.  If they don’t, run.”

 

“Why?”

 

“If they aren’t part of the Black Treaty, they don’t have any rules about treating Yennork decently.  We put them down whenever we find them, but they have gotten better at hiding.”

 

“Can you tell me about the Black Treaty?”

 

“Not while you’re living in Stark Tower, I’m afraid.”

 

Emily nodded.  “Thank you for your help, Mac.”

 

“Can I give you my number?”

 

“I don’t have a phone.”

 

Mac once again was horribly offended.  He dug his out of his pocket and handed it to her.  “Here.  You keep it.  I’ll cover the bills.  I’ll call you with my number when-”

 

Victor intervened at that point.  “No.  She’s getting her own this afternoon.”  He hooked his arm through hers, “Come on, we’re done here.”

 

The other six loopers in the diner stood up as soon as he touched her.  Victor snarled.  

 

Emily smiled at Mac. “Thank you so much for your help. I hope you have a great day.”

 

Mac muttered something in a language Emily didn’t understand.  One of the standing loopers coughed, they all sat back down.  The waitress, who had been quietly freaking out, relaxed.  Emily and Victor left.

 

“Why him?” Victor asked once they were out on the sidewalk.

 

“I think he is the oldest one in there.”

 

“Him?  He’s like 18 or 19.”

 

Emily shrugged.  “I might be wrong.  I thought someone older would know about old fashioned pans.”

 

\----

 

Emily was shocked at how much Finex pans cost.  Victor picked out two, with lids, and a couple of Le Creuset dutch ovens and an iPhone not a StarkPhone, just to piss off Tony.

 

“Um.. Victor?  This is a lot of money.”

 

“I can afford it.  Anything else you need?”

 

Emily looked at him with wide eyes and shook her head.

 

“Come on, it’s all stuff we can take with us when we go back to Alberta.  You need…” Victor struggled to remember, “Spoons and mixing bowls and stuff?”

 

“I think they are in the apartment.”

 

“You want better ones?”

 

“Victor?  Am I going to be allowed to go back to Alberta?  I can’t see how I’ll be able to go back to school and get on with my life.”

 

“You don’t have to go back to school.  I’ll take care of you.”  It was the wrong thing to say.  He had just upset her, but - “What’s wrong?”

 

“I want to go to school.  I like learning stuff.”

 

Victor stared at her for a long moment.  Then he bought her a laptop.

 

—-

 

The housewares had been delivered and were waiting for them when Emily and Victor got back with groceries.

 

There was a new puppy in the coffee shop.  Emily told Victor to ignore him.

 

“That’s no fun.”

 

“If you want fun, go disembowel Logan or something.”

 

The woman waiting next to them for the elevator suddenly remembered she had something else to do.  Victor laughed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments?


	28. Provisional Monogamy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to just throw this here and run away.
> 
> This chapter has both vore and sex, but not at the same time.
> 
> It also is a little violent. 
> 
> And there is dub con on all sides.
> 
> All the trigger warnings apply, but I promise everyone is OK
> 
> Um.... yeah. (runs and hides)

Emily was making stew or something. Victor had been banished from the kitchen after she caught him popping raw beef cubes into his mouth.  He was standing in the hallway trying to decide what to do next, when the elevator binged and the runt stepped into the hallway.

 

Well, he had instructions on what to do about that, right?

 

Logan was surprised when Victor hit him, claws and teeth exposed, full in the chest and knocked him to the ground.  When he eventually managed to bounce away, he snarled, “What the hell?”

 

“You stabbed me, trying to get at my girl!  Mine!”

 

“Will you listen to yourself?  You sound like some fucking teenager back at the school.”

 

“You’re the one trying to take what’s mine!”

 

“Think she’d be happy hearing you talk like that, do you?”

 

“Tell me I’m wrong!”

 

Logan glared at Victor.  There wasn’t any point in saying that, Victor would smell the lie.

 

“Fuck, Runt!   You are absolute shit at keeping your girls alive!  She’s better off with me!”

 

Logan couldn’t really argue about his track record in dead girlfriends, so he went after the other part.  “Oh, really?  She’s better off with a serial rapist who gets off on making women scream?”

 

“Not a woman!  Yennork!  My Yennork!”

 

“Only until the puppies come for her!  Then what will you do?”

 

“Kill them all!”

 

“Oh, yeah, she’s gonna love watching that!  Then you can drag her back to your cave and try to get her to live on a diet of raw rabbit!”

 

“I don’t have to take her back to my cabin, we can go anywhere!”

 

“You gonna bring her along while you go merc?  I’m sure Eric would love to get his hands on her!”

 

Any further discussion was ended when Victor ripped out Logan’s vocal cords and ate them as he stormed down the stairs to the gym.  Logan lay burbling on the floor for a moment while they grew back.  Then he went into his apartment.

 

Jarvis turned on the sprinkler system and deployed the scoobas. 

 

\----

 

It was after ten by the time Emily got all her new pots wash and dried, the meat browned and dutch oven’s of stew popped into the oven to bake at 200F overnight.  It was after eleven by the time she got the kitchen cleaned up and herself ready for bed.

 

Victor wasn’t back yet.  She peeked out into the hallway.  It looked perfectly normal, but she swore she could smell blood.  She followed her nose and found a bloody handprint on the underside of one of the door knobs.  She knocked.

 

Logan answered.  Or at least he opened the door and looked at her.

 

“Um… I don’t know where Victor is and there is blood on your doorknob.”

 

“It’s my blood.”

 

“Um… OK.  Any idea where Victor is?”

 

“Don’t know.  He goes drinking and whoring most nights.”

 

“Oh.”  Emily felt like he had punched her.  “I should go.”  Her eyes started to flood, “Thank you for your help.” She turned to go back into Victor’s apartment.

 

Logan realized he should probably feel bad about that, but he didn’t.  “You can wait in here if you want.”

 

Emily hesitated.  “No, I have stew in the oven, I should stay to keep an eye on it.  Um… I made a double batch, if you want to join us for supper tomorrow night.  If the world isn’t attacked by alien squirrels or something.”

 

Now Logan regretted it.  He could smell her hurt, but she was still trying to be kind to him.  “I don’t think so.  Look, I appreciate the offer, but Victor won’t.”

 

“I don’t know.  You’re his brother.  It’s good to have family.  I wish I still did.”  She looked at him, “Victor told me that the guy who bit me must have done his homework because my family died in an accident and I had to move away from my friends to go to school.  There shouldn’t have been anyone to miss me.  He was right.  But you two have each other, even if you are always fighting like a pair of homicidal toddlers, you are still family.”

 

Logan sighed, “That’s what they tell me anyway.”

 

“So, come for supper.”

 

“I’ll think about it.”

 

“Thank you, Logan.”

 

\----

 

Emily was asleep on the couch when Victor got back.  She had been crying.  Victor woke her up by stroking her face. 

 

“Hey, ready for bed?”

 

“Um, yeah.”  She got up and headed towards her room.

 

“Did I do something wrong?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Did something happen?”

 

“I’m just really tired.”

 

“You’re mad at me.”

 

Emily just shook her head.  “No.  I just realized I don’t actually know where you go or what you do when you aren’t with me.  I don’t know how to find you.  You could be out drinking and whoring for all I know.”

 

“Drinking, probably, but it wears off before I get back here.”  He gave her a long look.  “As for whoring, well, I’m a hundred and thirty eight years old.  I can’t say I never have and I won’t say I never will.  But I promise not while I’m with you.”

 

She nodded. 

 

“Did you need me while I was gone?”

 

“No.  I just didn’t know where you were and the hallway smelled like blood and no one answered the number you left me and I got worried.”

 

Victor considered this.  “OK.  So we need to get me a phone too.”

 

“What happened to your phone?”

 

“Didn’t bother bringing that burner you had the number to.  There was only one person I wanted to call me on it, and you already did.”

 

Emily hugged him then, that was a first.  He hugged her back and buried his face in her hair.

 

“You said you are really tired.  Do you need to sleep in your own bed?”

 

Emily shook her head and took his hand.  She led him back to the bedroom and stared at the unmade bed.  “Would you fit lying diagonally?”

 

“Yeah, but then you won’t.”

 

Emily hesitated.  Victor waited.

 

“I was thinking it might be easier for you to have a 130 pounds on your chest than it would be for me to have 300 on my back.”

 

Victor’s head filled up with all kinds of pretty pictures at those suggestions.  He had to physically shake his head to clear them.

 

“OK.  Well, it was just a suggestion.”  Emily straightened the covers and crawled in on the window side of the bed and curled onto her side.

 

Victor stripped and put on the shorts that Emily had picked out for him to sleep in during their shopping adventures that afternoon.  They were a lot more comfortable than he would have guessed.  He picked his pillow up off the floor and crawled into bed, lying on his back diagonally across the bed.  His legs pushed past Emily’s on their way to the corner in a very deliberate way.

 

She rolled over and put her head on his shoulder and her arm across his chest.  He kissed the top of her head.  “Good night, Emily.”

 

After a while, she fell asleep.  After she had been sleeping for about twenty minutes, her leg crossed Victor’s body to match her arm.  Her body coiling around him.  About an hour after that, she pulled herself on top of him so that her tits were squashed against his chest and her arms and legs were draped on either side of him.

 

That was interesting. She was still completely unconscious. He carefully began to rub her back.  She wiggled up his body and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.  That was nice.  She had her nose pressed right into his skin, breathing his smell.

 

She gave him a little lick.

 

He groaned softly.

 

She bit him hard enough to draw blood.

 

Victor yelped.  Emily woke up and jerked back in time to see the wound close.  She looked at him, eyes wide, the smell of her fear filling the room.  She scrambled back away from him and fell off the bed.

 

“Emily, it’s ok. Just come back to bed.”

 

“Oh, god!  I am so sorry!  I don’t know why I did that!” She bolted to the door.

 

Victor chased her, but she made it to her room and slammed the door before he got there.

 

He grabbed the doorknob and then froze.  He knocked instead, “Emily?  Come out, we need to talk about this.  Hiding won’t help.”

 

The door slowly opened, she couldn’t even look at him.  “I am so, so very sorry.  I don’t know why I did that.  I don’t know how I’m going to be able to go back to being a normal person.”

 

“So, don’t.  You are wonderful just as you are.”

 

“I bit you!  I can still taste your blood in my mouth.”

 

“Well, now you really are just flirting.  Can I taste my blood in your mouth?” 

 

She looked up at him, confused.

 

He cupped her chin and kissed her deeply, his tongue chasing the coppery taste on her teeth.  She didn’t pull away. After a couple of seconds, he felt her arms coil around his neck and she was standing on her tiptoes to kiss him back.

 

She wobbled a bit.

 

Victor dropped to his knees.  Now he was a couple of inches shorter than her, and that was much easier to work with.  Plus it got his face closer to her tits.  He kissed and licked her neck, then down her collarbone.  His hands around her waist started to push up her shirt.  She ran her hands over his head.  He rocked back on his heels and licked her belly then began to nuzzle, lick and kiss his way up her body, pushing her tank top out of the way as he went.  When he got to her breasts, she pulled it off and tossed it on the floor.

 

Victor ran his hands over her ass and pulled down her shorts.  Then, with one hand supporting her head and one hand on her ass, he tipped her back and lay her on the floor and put his nose between her legs.

 

“God, you smell good!” This time, he didn’t give her a chance to object, he pushed his tongue deep into her cunt and swirled it over her clit, then he begged, “Please?”

 

She blushed hard and Victor had to fight not to close his eyes to enjoy her smell.  She nodded a little and he dove back between her legs, licking and sucking and purring softly to himself, his hands gently kneading her ass.

 

She came with a gasp and a slightly distressing sound of knuckles cracking or bones dislocating and her legs fell a little more open.  Victor stopped and looked up at her in alarm.

 

She whimpered.

 

Fuck.  He didn’t know what to do.

 

She whined.

 

“Are you ok?”

 

She pounced, hitting him in the shoulder and knocking him onto his back.  With a little growl she pulled down his shorts.  She caught his cock with her hand and eased herself down onto it.

 

Victor grabbed her hips.  Emily batted his hands away with another growl of irritation.  She tipped her head back and closed her eyes.  Victor could feel her body trembling around him.  After a moment the fluttering of her cunt eased up a little and she gave an experiment bounce.

 

Whine, grunt, and she lay forward so that her breasts were against his abs.  She began to rock her hips.  It wasn’t a thrust, more like a grind.  Victor’s hands once again went to cup her ass.  Her hands caught his wrists and pulled them away, pinning them to the floor.

 

The little noises she was making got more desperate, then suddenly, her cunt clenched his cock hard and he came with a roar.  Now he broke her grip and held her hips tightly, preventing her from moving.  He hadn’t planned on cumming inside her, but when he did, his penis barbs sprouted.

 

She didn’t seem to mind, slumping against him, completely relaxed.  She wasn’t even trying to move, so Victor relaxed his grip with one hand and started stroking her back.  She sighed and gave his chest an absentminded lick.

 

“Good girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments?


	29. Afterwards

 

Emily woke in Victor’s bed, draped across his chest.  She gave a little moan and hugged him tighter.  “I just had the strangest dream.”

 

“Hmmm?  About what?”

 

His hand stroked her back.  Her naked back.

 

Emily scrambled away from him.  Victor sat up and looked at her.  She was staring at him in horror.

 

“I raped you.”

 

Victor burst out laughing.

 

“I didn’t ask.  I didn’t-”

 

He realized she was serious.  “It doesn’t work that was for us.  Fear means stop.  I could have stopped you.  If you were afraid or hurt, I would have.”

 

Emily shook her head, she couldn’t even look at him.

 

Something occurred to Victor.  “We didn’t actually talk about that beforehand.  Did I rape you?”

 

“No.  I wanted to, but….  I didn’t think it would go like that.  It was like I was watching.  I don’t…..  I don’t have the right words.  I’m not sure how to describe what happened.”

 

Victor considered this.  He was the last person who should be comforting ex-virgins with morning after regrets.  “It’s called instinct.  You were acting on instinct.  That’s why the rules humans follow can’t really apply to us.”

 

“Can you tell me what happened?”

 

“You don’t remember?”

 

“I remember, I just don’t understand.”

 

Victor ran his hands over his head and muttered, “Ah, fuck,” under his breath.

 

He looked at her, naked, sitting curled around herself on the edge of his bed.  “We need to get a bigger bed,” he said, firmly.  “Come here.”

 

She crept forward and plastered herself against him.

 

“I’m not a puppy.  I can’t explain your instinct, but I can guess that is what pup- Looper sex looks like.”

 

“I bit you.”

 

“How do you think Loopers claim their pack?”

 

“I don’t want you to bite me.”

 

Victor fought the smile.  “Nah.  My teeth are sharp.  It’s not going to happen, even if you asked me.”

 

He held her for a few minutes before he asked, “Did I hurt you?”

 

Her cheek pressed against his chest got warmer.  She mumbled, “felt really good.”

 

Victor kissed the top of her head.  “Good.  But that’s not what I asked.”

 

She shook her head, no.  “There was something that felt ….  weird at the end.  Kind of…..  Scratchy?  I don’t even know….  It didn’t hurt.”

 

“Can I see?”

 

Emily blushed again.  “I’m not…” she trailed off and was quiet for a few moments before she tried again.  “I’m not pretty.  I don’t look like a porn star.”

 

Victor cuddled her tighter and turned her face up to look at him.  He kissed her passionately and licked his lips.  “I know,” he said with a self satisfied grin.

 

Emily nodded and looked away, but she lay down on the bed.

 

Victor raked his gaze over her, perky perfect breast, nipples crinkling in the cold, the soft lines of her body.  The neatly trimmed curls between her legs.  The fingerprint bruises and faint puncture marks from his claws on her hips.  Fuck.  He needed to be more careful.  He bent down to lick them.

 

Emily made a quiet little noise that was almost a plea.

 

Victor looked up at her.  “If you want to pretend to be people, you have to ask. You have to tell me what comes next.”

 

Emily flopped back onto the mattress and stared at the ceiling in frustration.  After a moment, she spoke, her voice sounding rough and deep, “Want you to lick me.”

 

Victor licked her hip bone.  Emily made a little frustrated noise.  Victor laughed, quietly.  He ducked his head under her knee and leaned in to smell her.  She smelled amazing, her lust, his cum, and surprisingly, no blood.

 

“Still want me to lick you?”

 

“Umm hmm.”

 

Victor leaned in and barely touched her with the tip of his tongue.  She groaned.  Then she wiggled away from him.

 

“What?”

 

“You're being mean.”

 

“I'm being mean?” Victor repeated in disbelief. 

 

Emily gave him a look.  “Tell me you weren’t just trying to irritate me.”

 

“I was playing!”  She was still watching him.  “I want you to beg.”

 

fear

 

Emily climbed off the bed and headed to the door. Victor caught her and carried her back to the bed.

 

_ FEAR _ .

 

“Let go of me right now!”

 

He did.  She ran to her room and closed the door.  This time when he knocked she didn’t come out.  Fuck.  He turned and leaned against the door, then slid down so he was sitting on the floor.  He could wait.

 

\----

 

Twelve hours later it was 3:30pm, the smell of the stew was driving him wild and Natasha just walked right into his apartment like she owned the place.  She looked at Victor sitting naked on the floor.

 

“What do you want, Red?”

 

She watched him for a long moment.  “Why are you barricading Emily in her room?”

 

“I’m not.  She ran in there, I’m waiting for her to come out.”

 

“Why did she run in there?”

 

Victor opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again.  He couldn’t think of a single way to explain what happened that didn’t sound horrible.

 

“Go put your pants on and get out.  I’ll clean up your mess.”

 

While Victor was getting dressed, Natasha turned off the oven and tasted Emily’s stew.  Then she promptly called Clint and told him they were eating at Victor’s tonight.  He was surprised, but prepared to go along with it.

 

Once Victor left, Natasha knocked on the door.  “Emily?  I need to talk to you.”

 

“Natasha?  What are you doing here?  Come in!  The door isn’t locked.”

 

And suddenly, Natasha had to reassess her understanding of the whole situation.  “You’ve been in here all day.  We were getting worried that Victor hurt you.”

 

“No.  He didn’t hurt me.  He was just being a jerk and I don’t want to talk to him right now.”

 

Natasha looked at her.  Emily was clean scrubbed and sitting on her bed with her book.  “OK.  You need to tell me what happened.  You had sex, then what?”

 

Emily blushed.  “The sex was …  good, but not how I was expecting it to go.  I woke up in his bed.  I thought we might be going for round two, then he started teasing me and telling me he wanted me to beg.  I wasn’t happy with that option so I left.”

 

Natasha kept looking at her.

 

“Look, he’s bigger than me.  He’s stronger than me, and ultimately, he could just force me to do whatever he wanted.  Telling me he wanted me begging him for sex is one more power trip that I don’t want him to have.”

 

“I can understand that.  How did you get away?”

 

“I told him to let me go.”

 

Disbelief. “And the door wasn’t locked, he didn’t come in here because you told him not to?”

 

“Yeah.  When I first moved in, I told him I needed my own room and he needed to stay out of here.”

 

“Huh.  Well, I gotta say, I never would have guessed the pack dynamics would play out that way.”

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing.  Does he always do what you tell him?”

“Um… when I insist.”

 

“Did you use a condom?”

 

Emily looked nervous.  “I wasn’t really in a position to ask for one.”

 

“What does that mean, Emily?”

 

“Um… OK, so…  he was going down on me-” Natasha made a strangled sound. “-which was kind of weird.  My ex-boyfriend always said that was gross, but still wanted me to suck his dick, like that’s any different.  Anyway, after I came the first time, he stopped and was just staring at me.  And I thought, you know, since he’s so much bigger than me, it would be easier if I was on top.  Which worked out fairly well for everyone, I thought. And-”

 

“Condom?”

 

Emily looked away.  “Something happened after I came the first time.  The world went all funny and it was all smells and textures and I couldn’t talk.”

 

“That’s normal for Yennork.  That’s why you need to plan ahead.”  Natasha looked thoughtful for a moment.  “It might not have helped, I can’t see Victor being able to put one on with those claws.  Come to think of it, I’m not actually sure if you are close enough to the same species that he would be able get you pregnant.”

 

“I haven’t had my period since the surgery.”

 

“Hmm.  Let me do some research and get back to you.  In the meantime, supper is delicious.  I invited Clint.  He’ll do the dishes.”

 

Emily gasped and covered her mouth.  “Crap!”

 

“What?”

 

“I invited Logan for supper, but then I forgot to tell Victor.”

 

Natasha grinned, “Oh кролик, this is going to be fun.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In response to last chapter's comments, I feel that I need to mention that this chapter was already written when the last chapter's comments went up. I also want to point out that if you have been paying attention, Victor has always obeyed Emily any time she told him to do something, all the way back to the second chapter.
> 
> I was keeping it subtle for a reveal later, but Emily is the alpha in this relationship. Victor is willing to do anything for her.


	30. Family Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly Natasha, with plot hints from other potential works in this series.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now slightly longer than the original version.

Natasha left Clint and Emily making bannock to go with the stew. Then she went next door and banged on Logan’s door.

 

“What?”

 

“C’mon.”

 

“Where we going?”

 

“Well,  I’m going to go to either fix your brother’s relationship, or get myself killed.  Let’s find out which, shall we?”  

 

They found Victor in the gym.  Natasha walked up to him and hit him in the face with a fifteen pound kettle bell.  In the fraction of the second it took him to go from startled to pissed off, she shouted, “You DO NOT ask your alpha to beg!”  Then she stormed out leaving a bewildered Logan in her wake.

 

From there, she went to the lobby and found the current looper-in-the-cafe, honestly, it wasn’t that hard.  She plopped down at his table and announced, “I need a meeting with The Black.”

 

Mac leaned back in his seat, “Oh, you do, do you?”

 

“Yes.  Your collective handling of Emily’s situation has been one big cluster fuck to the point that it now falls outside of the Treaty.  She is working workout the necessary information because you lot have been a bunch of asshole who keep offering to trade information for sex.  In the meantime, she’s the one who has to deal with the consequences of not knowing things.”

 

Mac considered this.  “Something happened.”

 

“No shit.  And now I have questions that I don’t expect you to be authorized to answer, like can a feral get her pregnant?”

 

Mac paled.  “One of your ferals turned on her?”

 

Natasha smirked.  “No.  Emily is a tough kid.  She needed a pack, you weren’t going to give her one, so she is making her own.  Turns out one of them is a beta.”

 

Mac frowned, “The short one?”

 

Now Natasha flat out laughed, “No.  The tall one.  I should have suspected it sooner, he spent most of his like protecting his little brother and following orders.  Now she’s the one giving the orders and he’s protecting her.  It looks like he bonded pretty hard with her.  Which brings me back to my question, how likely is it that he can get her pregnant?  Because a vasectomy isn’t possible, condoms are right out, and I need advice before I start fucking around with her hormones.”

 

Mac sat quietly, but his mind was racing.  “We can not get Yennork pregnant.  For the last thousand years, we believed that the infection left us sterile.  However, recent developments have shown that to be false.  All that said, I don’t know. I can smell her on you and she is not in heat, so I believe it is unlikely, but I don’t know.”

 

“That’s why I need a meeting with The Black.  The Treaty had to change to accommodate women like me.  Maybe it’s time it changed to accommodate Emily.  I’m betting the one who bit her, only lost her because of a combination of her being medi-vac’d out and patient privacy laws meaning he couldn’t just call around to find her.  That is going to become more frequent.  Plus, I’m sure you were the gold standard for women’s rights in the 1300’s but these days a woman is more likely to be pissed off about infection without consent.”

 

Mac nodded.  “I’ll see what I can do, but he won’t meet her in Stark Tower.  You need a neutral place.”

 

Natasha considered this.  “Central Park?  I hate how open it is, there aren’t enough places to stash operatives, but that will work against you too.”

 

Mac nodded.  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to finish my snack.”

 

Nat nodded and left.  As she walked away, Mac called out,”Natalia? Солдат спросил его кошку, еще?”

 

She ignored the question, and the mocking laugh that followed. 

 

When she got back to Victor’s apartment, it was empty.  She opened her Clint trackin ap, they were in the Common room.  OK.

 

When she got there, the stew was in one of the wall ovens, Emily was rolling out something that looked like bread dough, Thor was chopping veg for a salad, Clint was peeling carrots.  She raised an eyebrow.

 

*There’s about four gallons of stew, so Emily is having family dinner.  Apparently, it’s a thing.*

 

*She’s nesting.  This is going to be important for her. We’ll have to warn everyone to play nice tonight.*

 

Clint nodded and went back to peeling carrots.

 

Natasha went to check on Steve. 

 

\----

 

She found Dr Cho first.  “How's it going with our patent?”

 

“Not well. They didn't ever update, they just kept adding on. We aren't sure how to remove it without killing him. I don't suppose you are an authorized user or know how to hack in Fortran in Russian?”

 

“No. Sorry.  Is it possible he was infected with the same thing as Emily?”

 

“I don't know. Should we be checking for that?”

 

“Yeah, I think so.”

 

“OK. I’ll start looking for a virologist with this level of clearance.”

 

“Emily made stew for supper, you should come.”

 

“I'll see how things are going.”

 

“OK. Invite Steve while you're at it.  I don't expect him to come either, but it's worth a try.”

 

\---

 

Tony was on his best behaviour, which meant he just stared at the stew instead of going straight to snarky comments. Nonetheless, he waited for someone else to try it.  When he finally tried some, he asked, “What did you put in this?”

 

Emily blushed and looked down. “It's my grandmother’s venison and blueberry stew.  But I couldn't get venison, so I used beef.  You don't have to eat it if you don't like it.”

 

“It's delicious, Emily.”  Pepper said. “I'll eat Tony’s if he doesn't want it.”

 

Tony ignored her, but pulled his plate a little closer. 

 

“I wasn't really expecting to be throwing a dinner party.  I was just missing my family and wanted to make some comfort food.”  She took another piece of bannock and dipped it in the stew.

 

Victor was sitting in sullen silence. Natasha decided to poke the bear. “What do you think Victor? Isn't this a nice meal Emily has made for all of us?”

 

Victor glared at her. Natasha chuckled to herself. 

 

Dessert was apple crumble fresh out of the oven served with ice cream.  Emily carried two over and set them on the table in front of Tony. “I know you don't like being handed things.”

 

He nodded. 

 

She sat down next to him.  “At one point, you offered me an internship.  Now that I don't have physiotherapy every day, I was wondering if the offer still stands.”

 

Tony looked around. “Is that what supper was about?  You buttering me up to ask for stuff, short stack?”

 

Emily shook her head. “I told you, supper is about me needing comfort food and wanting to share.  Me asking for stuff is about wanting to stay busy for the next year instead of moping.  I looked into it, and I can't actually earn money while I'm here, but I can work unpaid jobs. I could be a fetcher of coffee.  Or… anything really.”

 

“How about a full time Victor wrangler?”

 

“I don't think he needs full time wrangling.”

 

“I've seen the security footage, you'd be surprised.”

 

Emily nodded, slowly.  “Natasha was telling me about Stockholm syndrome and after doing some research, I think it would be helpful for me to have something to do apart from Victor.”

 

Pepper nodded, “I think that is an excellent idea, Emily.  I’ll arrange something for you tomorrow.”

 

“Thank you, Ms Potts.”

 

“Call me Pepper, Emily.”

 

“OK, Pepper.”

 

Natasha cleared her throat.  “I want an hour of your day, everyday.  You need to learn to speak Russian.”

 

Emily was puzzled, “Why?”

 

Natasha just raised an eyebrow.  “It is always advantageous to speak an extra language, кролик.  You can practice with me and Clint.”

 

Victor shrugged, “ я могу помочь.”

 

Emily looked at him.  “OK... Why do I feel like I’m missing something?”

 

Clint grinned, “Because Nat always has secrets, bunny.”

 

Clint did, in fact, do the dishes, but Victor and Logan helped.  Tony sat sipping a scotch and watching them.  It wasn’t something he would ever have expected to see.  The bickering over the best way to care for the pans, now THAT wasn’t totally surprising.  They really did fight like siblings.  Or so Tony had heard.  Sibling cliche, anyway.

 

He found it interesting that Emily had researched Stockholm syndrome.  And that Victor had let her.  He had, of course, heard about the kitchen fire from Jarvis.  He had expected Victor to just steal a new pan from one of the other apartments.  Emily’s or Logan’s.  He wouldn’t have guessed the resolution would be a shopping trip.

 

Setting aside the sibling rivalry, Victor was much better behaved when Emily was around.

 

Emily was drinking tea with Natasha.  Victor kept looking over at her every couple of minutes, assessing to see if, what?  She was OK?  She was happy?  What was he looking for?

 

“Interesting.” Tony muttered as he took another sip of his drink.

 

\----

 

Victor watched Emily putting her pots away.  He had offered to help, but she had said it would work better if they were in cupboards she could reach.  Fuck.  He had no idea what to say.  Red’s calling Emily his alpha didn’t help.  That wasn’t how he worked!  He didn’t just follow orders like a-

 

Except that he did, didn’t he?

 

He had done whatever Striker had asked.  He told himself it was to get Jimmy back.  To make him stronger.  To keep him safe.  But in the end, he had handed his little brother over to be tortured because Striker had told him to.

 

Fuck.

 

She was the only person in the place who was prepared to give him provisional person status and he fucked it up.

 

“That’s an awful lot of anger you have there.  Is that for me?”

 

She didn’t even turn around when she asked.  He could stab her in the back, or crush her skull against the marble counter top with hardly any effort, but she still turned her back on him.  Was that trust or just stupidity?  Emily had never given him the impression that she was stupid.  Maybe just naive.

 

“Victor?”  Now she turned to look at him.  “Is everything alright?”

 

“You were right.  I was being mean.  I am mean.  It’s what I do.”

 

“I wasn’t exactly on my best behaviour either.”

 

Victor grunted.  He should say something about that.  He needed to say something, he just didn’t know how.  “I got no complaints.”

 

“Look, I need to take a couple of reset days.  We can try the sleeping together thing after I have my head on straight, OK?”

 

No.  NO!  Not OK! NOT- “Fine.”

 

“Thank you, Victor.”  Then she went and hugged him again, like it was nothing.  Like it was safe.  Fuck.

 

He watched her go to her room.

 

Then he got one of the abandoned beer out of the fridge.  The worst part was it wasn’t just Striker.  No, he had trailed after Eric like a lost puppy.  The Brotherhood of Mutant!  Goddamnit!  If that was a bunch of losers looking for a pack, for a family, he didn’t know what was.

 

And he had been one of those losers.

 

And now what?  Was this his latest pathetic attempt at family?  Some girl he bought with the promise of surgery?  With the threat of losing her arm if she didn’t come with him?

 

He needed something stronger than beer.  Head to the bar, some bitch with a bad boy fetish would always come rut up against him. He could just ignore all of this for a few hours.

 

Except he had promised he wouldn’t do that any more.

 

Was it still whoring if you never paid them?  It wasn’t like he was actually with her.  He wasn’t bringing her along, so…

 

She wasn’t going to see it that way.

 

If she was going to be his mate, it was time to start acting like it.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feed the muse.


	31. Learning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bonding and Brownies
> 
> No. Really. I mean it this time. Sorry for the technical difficulties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With apologies, I already tried to post this once, but it didn't work so well from my phone. Also, if you may need to go back and re-read Chapter 30 because of significant additions.

Victor spent the night on the couch.  His room was in the corner of the apartment, so he ad the best views.  But it also meant that Emily was between anything coming through the door and him.  That didn’t feel right.  On the couch he could see her door and the door into the hallway and he was between the two.

 

He did actually sleep.  He wasn’t planning on it, but he woke up when she came out of her room and headed to the kitchen.  She was still in her sleep clothes, hair mussed, feet bare.  She got the smallest one of her new pots out of the cupboard.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

She jumped.  “If I start the oatmeal now, it will be ready when I’m finished my shower and whatever.”

 

“If we go eat with the others, you won’t have to cook or do dishes.”

 

Emily sighed, “You don’t like eating with the others.  It pissed you right off that they were sharing our supper last night.”

 

He couldn’t actually argue with that.  “You like eating with them.”

 

She went to the sink and started measuring out water.  “Yeah, but the next three hundred and sixty three days will go a lot easier if we are both prepared to take turns.” 

 

Fuck.  He had three hundred and sixty three days to convince her to stay.  “Go get dressed.  We’ll eat with the others.  We can eat in sometimes if you are ever willing to share that emergency breakfast you keep in your underwear.”

 

Emily blushed, but asked, “Are you sure? About eating in the common room, I mean.”

 

“Yeah, go on.”

 

“Thank you, Victor.”

 

She scampered off, he watched her go.  Then he dried the pot and put it back in the cupboard.

 

Victor has a shower, brushed his teeth and got dressed.  He was expecting to have to wait.  Women always took longer to get ready, but Emily was out only a few minutes behind him.  Her hair was in a bun and she was wearing the white dress with poppies.  It didn’t really match her boots, but it did wonderful things for her curves.

 

“You are staring.  I know, I look ridiculous.  Wrong shoes.  I don’t wear dresses.  I never know what to do with my hair. Give me a moment, I’ll go put on pants.”

 

“Leave it.”  He put his hand against the small of her back and guided her to the door.  There was something else he was supposed to say.  “You look good.”

 

\----

 

Natasha sat down as Emily was finishing her breakfast.  She glanced at Victor before asking, “Well,  кролик, how was your night?”

 

“Fine….  Can we just cut through all the sly bullshit this morning?  What do you want Natasha?”

 

Nat grinned. “In the interests of avoiding you ending your year with a little Victor in tow, I made an appointment for you to get a paragard.  It’s not hormonal and-”

 

“She’s not going to get pregnant.”

 

Natasha raised an eyebrow, “Well, if you can prove you’re shooting blanks-”

 

“Fuck off.  OK, Emily, time to learn how to use that new noses of yours.”

 

Victor took Emily down to the lobby and found her a seat in the concourse.  Then he went and got her a tea, mostly so he could kick the puppy under the table on his way by.

 

“Críost,” muttered Jonathan.

 

Victor grinned happily to himself.

 

“OK,” he said quietly as he sat down and handed her the tea.  “First things first.  At any time, about a quarter of the women around you are on their rag.  Close your eyes and tell me which ones.  It’s the easiest to smell.”

 

Emily closed her eyes.  She had spent the last month learning how to ignore the smells around her.  Paying attention was just as hard.  She turned her head this way and that and focus on the smells.  She had to ignore the perfume and aftershave, then look past the soap and laundry detergent.  She opened her eyes.  “The woman in the purple shirt.”

 

“Good, who else?”

 

“The redhead in the pant suit, Darlene at the security desk, and the gentleman behind the cash at the cafe.”

 

“Good catch.  Next lesson.  The pill leaves a sort of… metallic aftertaste, the bottom notes of the smell.”

 

This was harder. “Tonya at the cafe. The woman with the two little boys-”

 

“That was an easy guess.”

 

Emily ignored him, “Green suit, the lady with the fancy heels, the bike messenger-”

 

“How do you know she’s a bike messenger?”

 

“I can smell the chain oil.”

 

Victor grinned.  “Final test.  When a woman is ripe, she smells a little sweeter, and less acidic.”  He closed his eyes to concentrate. “The 15 year old cutting class, drinking a hot chocolate in the cafe.”

 

Emily turned in that direction and sniffed.  “OK.  Um…  Wait!  What is wrong with Jim from security?”

 

“Steroids.  That’s not why we are here, pay attention.”

 

“I don’t know.  Everyone smells like birth control.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Um…  The woman in jeans and an Iron Maiden shirt.”

 

“She’s on fertility treatments.  Look for someone less obvious.”

 

Emily tried to find the smell.  “The girl with the purple undercut.”

 

“Good.  Who else?”

 

“The redhead who just came in?”

 

“Is that a question?”

 

“.... no….”

 

“You aren’t very convincing.”

 

“Uh.”

 

“Can you find one more?”

 

“Jeanette.”

 

“Who?”

 

“The waitress who made my tea.”

 

“OK.  Now we go upstairs and you have a hot bath and a nap.  Your head is going to hurt after all that.  Learning new smells is hard.”

 

“What does this have to do with me getting pregnant?”

 

“When you’re ripe, we stick with mouths and toys ‘til you’re finished.  Accidentally pregnant doesn’t happen when you can be 100% aware of what your body is doing.”

 

“OK.  Um… that headache you mentioned-”

 

Victor stood up and led her to the elevator. “It's the VOCs. They are in everything these days.  Really, up north is about the only way to avoid them.”

 

“Up north?  As in your back woods cabin without running water?”

 

“I'll get you running water, if you want.”

 

“I like being around people too.”

 

Victor didn't have anything to say to that.  Most of the time people were over rated. 

 

Emily was fine. The bath was just to humour Victor.  OK, so maybe her head hurt a little, it was probably just the power of suggestion.  She was totally just dimming the lights and closing the blackout blinds because it was calming. 

 

He hadn't mentioned the nausea.

 

Emily had a brief moment of panic before she remembered that you need to be pregnant for a few weeks before that happened.

 

“Ugh.”

 

She heard Victor knocking on the bedroom door. “You ok in there?  Don’t drown.”

 

“I’m not drowning, I just feel sick.”

 

“What…  Do you need aspirin or… something?”

 

Emily head a thud that had to be Victor’s head hitting the door.

 

“Aspirin?”

 

“I don’t get sick, I don’t know what to do!” It was almost a wail. “I’ll get Nat!  Or Dr Cho!”

 

“Ginger tea or gravol would be easier.”

 

“Right!”

 

There was the sound of footsteps retreating.

 

There was the sound of footsteps running back.  

 

“It is safe to leave you in there?”

 

Emily laughed and hauled herself out of the tub.  She wrapped up in a towel and opened the bedroom door.

 

“Holy shit, you are actually worried!”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Well, stop.  Call the concierge, his name is Mr Jarvis, ask him to have housekeeping send up some gravol.” 

 

Victor was staring at her like she had grown another head.  “Mr Jarvis, the concierge?”

 

“Yeah, the poor guy never gets a day off, but he is totally helpful.”

 

Victor was still staring at her.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing.  I’ll just call Mr Jarvis and ask for some gravol.”

 

“Thank you, Victor.  I’m going to go get back in the tub.  I promise to leave the door open and not drown.”  Emily got turned the bathroom lights all the way off and got back in the tub.  She put a wet washcloth over her face.  That was a bit better.  

 

She heard the door and  Victor grumbling.  Then steps over to her room.  Then steps away from her room. The cupboard door, water running, a glass filling, steps back to her room.  There was a knock on the door frame.

 

“Come in.”

 

Victor hesitated for a fraction of a second before going in.  The room was dark and so was the bathroom.  That was good after sensory overload.  He headed into the bathroom.  “I wasn’t trying to make you sick.”

 

“I know.  I’ve got to learn sometimes.”

 

“No.  You don’t.  You can use learn to block it all out and pretend to be normal.”

 

“Right.  And take up smoking like Logan.  I should learn how to do this kind of thing.  It could be helpful.  Like, people won’t be able to sneak up on me.  Oh!  Maybe I can learn how to tell who has cancer.  I hear they are teaching sniffer dogs to find tumours.”

 

“You don’t want to do that, Emily.  I can’t see you walking down the street and not crying everytime you passed someone who smelled like stage four cancer.  That’s the sort of thing that makes you crazy after a while.”  Victor handed her the box of gravol and the glass of water, then watched while she took one.

 

“I’m going to wait ten minutes for it to start to work before I get out of the tub.  That way I’ll be out before I start to fall asleep.”

 

“It’s going to put you to sleep?”

 

“Not exactly.  I just get drowsy.”

 

“Would you stay in my room so I can keep an eye on you?”

 

“You have more windows to block.”

 

“Emily.”

 

“Victor.”

 

“I want your cooperation, but I insist.  So, both of us in your room or my room or you let me get Red to come sit with you.  Or you go to the hospital floor.”

 

“Victor, I’m not that sick.  Nat has better things to do than watch me sleep.”  Emily looked thoughtful.  “I bet if you call her, she’ll tell you it’s fine.”

 

Natasha did not say it was fine.  Natasha was pissed off that Emily had taken meds when they didn’t know how they would affect her.  

 

Which is how Emily ended up getting a full blood work up and an emergency fMRI.

 

Which diagnosed a migraine.

 

Which made Emily gloat, but only a little.  Her head really hurt by now and no one was willing to give her so much as a tylenol.

 

She called Simon, in tears.  Simon talked to Dr Banner.  At length.

 

Which is how a pack of werewolves ended up smuggling pot brownies into Stark Tower.

 

Which, in a roundabout way, is how Emily end up back as the little spoon in Victor’s bed.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make the writing go!


	32. Damage

Tony came to check on Emily during her fMRI.  It only took one sniff for Victor to understand what was going on.

 

“I know what you’re keeping Stark.  If it gets out, I’m taking my girl somewhere safe.  You’re on your own for this one.”

 

Tony turned and looked at him.  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” he said innocently.

 

“Save it.  I know that smell.  I ain’t the Runt.  I remember the war first hand.  None of this recovered memories bull shit.  It isn’t the first time in the last seventy years I’ve run across it, either.  You’re a fool and Rogers is a sentimental idiot and I am giving you fair warning.  My priority is Emily.  I don’t care if Pepper or Jane or the entire secretarial pool is in danger.  I will take Emily and go.  Understand?”

 

Tony considered this.  “You know they are call admin assistants now, right?”

 

Victor growled and left.

 

\----

 

Victor could feel exactly when Emily relaxed.

 

“Feeling better, Frail?”

 

“Don’t call me that.”

 

Victor grunted.  “This is the other reason I don’t spend time with people.  You get sick and die.  I barely have forty or fifty years to get used to someone and they up and die on me.  I refuse to give you that option.”

 

“Like I have a whole lot of choice in when I die.”

 

“If I’m doing my job, it won’t be for a very long time.”

 

Emily ignored that for a moment.  “My head doesn’t hurt, but I don’t feel buzzed.  What was in those brownies?”

 

Victor snuggled her a little closer.  “Damned if I know.  Bruce and the puppies were talking in code and I don’t know what high CBD low THC means.”  He kissed the back of her head.  “Wasn’t trying to make you sick.”

 

“I know.”  Emily closed her eyes again.  “You’re purring.”

 

“You make me happy.”

 

“I bet you say that to all the girls.”

 

Victor snorted.  “Not even close.”  

 

Victor allowed himself a few more moments of comfort with her before he said, “You need to get up and eat something. Red arranged for you to have therapy this afternoon.”

 

\----

 

Victor was pacing outside of the room where Emily was having her first therapy session.  She had been in there for two hours.  The room was sound proof so he couldn’t eavesdrop, but it also meant that he couldn’t follow her smell.  It was making him antsy.

 

Finally the door opened and Emily and The Woman came out.

 

“Ah!  You must be Victor!”

 

Victor ignored her and concentrated on Emily, “You talk to her about me?”

 

“You don’t have to answer that!” was the indignant response.

 

Now Victor turned his full attention on The Woman.  “If she doesn’t talk about me with you, how are you going to help her survive me?” he snarled.

 

The Woman was very surprised at that, and a little afraid.

 

Emily put her hand on Victor’s arm.  “Hey! I like Catherine!  Stop scaring her!  She is going to take good care of me.  It will be OK.”

 

Victor relaxed.

 

Catherine relaxed.  Now she a whole other page of questions for next time.  What she said was, “You know, Victor, if you want to keep Emily safe, it might be helpful for you to get some counselling as well.”

 

Victor laughed, “They ain't paying you enough to be alone in a room with me.”

 

“But Emily is often alone in a room with you.”

 

“That's different.”

 

“How is that different?”

 

Victor opened his mouth to reply, then looked at Emily and closed it. He stomped out of the room. 

 

Catherine watched him go. “I'll see you next week, Emily.  If he makes you feel unsafe, I have been assured that Agent Romanoff will intervene.”

 

“Thanks!”

 

Emily left. Catherine had to think about how to document all of this in her patient notes. 

 

\----

 

Victor waited until the were back in the apartment before he asked again, “How was it?”

 

“Good. She's going to help me with my survivor's guilt from when my family died.”  Victor was surprised at that, so Emily continued, “I was working the closing shift at the bar that night. Then I stayed out to have breakfast at five am. When I finally got home around seven, I found them.”

 

Victor considered this. “It you would have gone home at three when the bar closed, would you have tried to wake them up?”

 

“No.  I know that I would have gone to bed and likely died too.  But, sometimes, I still feel like that's what should have happened.”

 

Victor pulled Emily in for a hug. “Shit. I didn't know that.  Here I was all worried she was going to tell you not to sleep in my room.”

 

“Oh, she did.  And she was really mad when I told her we had sex. She still looked calm, but I could smell her anger.”

 

“Hmm.” Victor thought about that for a moment. “Did you tell her she smelled angry?”

 

“Hell, no!  That sounds crazy.”

 

“Hmm.  You should talk to Red about how much you are allowed to say.  I'm pretty sure this doesn't work if you are keeping secrets from your … Catherine.”

 

Emily considered this.  “Does that mean I'm sleeping in my own bed tonight?”

 

“No. No!  NO!  Fuck, no!” thought Victor, but what he said was, “It has to be your choice, Emily.”

 

“I really like it when you cuddle me and purr, but I have my own room, I should use it sometimes too.”

 

Victor nodded.

 

\----

 

They had dinner with the team, then Emily and Victor cuddled on the couch and watched the new Wonder Woman movie.  Victor bit back every sarcastic comment that ran through his head until Emily sat up and shouted, “Oh come on!”

 

He looked at her.

 

“The chubby sidekick is named ‘Etta Candy’?  Really?  That’s horrible!”  Victor tipped his head back and chuckled.  “That’s what she was called in the comics back in the fifties too.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yup.”

 

“So…. six decades of fat shaming and they couldn’t come up with a better name?  Jeez!  Change it to Evelyn Candy or Etta Smith or something!”

 

Victor laughed and kissed the top of her head.  Emily went very quiet. 

 

“What?”

 

“You spend a lot of time touching me.  Is that scent marking or something?”

 

Victor pulled away as he thought about that.  “Maybe a little.  Part of it is because gals don’t really stick around, so I wanna stock up on physical contact before you get scared and run away.  A lot of it is that I also like the way you smell and I like having your smell on me.  Having you here just feels good.”

 

She was watching him.

 

“Did Catherine tell you to ask that?”

 

“No.  She asked if you spend more time touching me than I spend touching you.  And, I mean, you do.  But you also stop as soon as I tell you to.”

 

“What do you want me to do, Emily?”

 

“I don’t know.  I need to think about it.”

 

Victor nodded.  He climbed off the couch and headed to the kitchen. “I smuggled in another bottle of scotch.  Do you want one?”

 

“No, thanks.  I’m a lightweight and I’m not sure I should be getting drunk right now.”

 

Victor grunted.  When he came back, he sat in the armchair.  Emily looked at him for a moment, then stretched out on the couch, taking up as much of it as she could.  Victor chuckled.

 

They made it to the end.  Victor didn’t understand why Emily shouted, “Remus! No!”  She hugged him good night, then headed into her room and shut the door.  Victor sat there for over an hour waiting to see if she was going to come out before he was called out for a priority one event.

 

\----

 

Jarvis was tasked with both monitoring building security, especially Ms Farthing, Ms Potts and the gentleman in the basement, but also with providing assistance with Sir’s suit.  He also ran the video drones for post event analysis.

 

\----

 

Emily sat bolt upright, she was soaked with sweat and shaking, but she couldn’t remember the dream.  She didn’t know what woke her, but she needed Victor.  She ran out of her room and into his.  He wasn’t there.  She found her phone and called his.  It rang on the coffee table in the living room.  When she looked at it, she saw the message Pr1.

 

  1.  She understood what that meant.  It meant Victor was gone for the foreseeable future.  So was Natasha.



 

She called the switchboard.  Jarvis didn’t answer.

 

“Hello?” woman repeated.  “How may I be of assistance, Ms. Farthing?”

 

Emily cleared her throat.  “Oh! Sorry!  I’ve just never not had Mr. Jarvis answer the phone.  I mean, I know he must go home at night and it’s like four in the morning, it’s just that I wasn’t expecting…” she trailed off.

 

“My name is Friday, Ms. Farthing.  I help out when Jarvis gets overwhelmed.”

 

“Oh.  OK.  Um….  I was just wondering who was left that I could talk to.  I don’t want to be alone right now.”

 

“Ms. Potts and Dr. Foster are both asleep.  I was given two emergency contacts by Agent Romanoff.  Do you need me to call one of them?”

 

“Um… what names did she give you?”

 

“Mac Duhb and Thomas Svart.”

 

Emily’s skin crawled.  “Thank you, but I don’t think they can help me just now.”

 

Friday borrowed the Drone’s eyes from Jarvis.  She decided that it wasn’t in Emily’s best interest to receive a status update just now.  “I’ll have housekeeping bring up some warm milk.”

 

Emily considered this.  “Thanks, Ms Friday.  Um….  do you think you could talk them into adding a shot of Bailey’s to it?”

 

“I’ll see what I can do.”

 

\----

 

Jarvis noted that Mr Creed had taken the grenade to the chest at the precise moment that Ms Farthing had jerked awake.  He made a note to suggest Sir investigate at some point in the future.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm only in it for the comments. Help a writer out.


	33. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Super big THANK YOU to Novalin for beta reading for me!

 

Pepper was used to waking up alone.  She didn’t like it, but she was used to it by now.  Her morning routine was almost the same regardless.

 

5am - alarm goes off, brush teeth, hair in ponytail.

 

5:15 - 6am Gym, running, yoga, weights.

 

6:00 - 6:05 tell Tony to either get up for breakfast or quit working and go to bed.

 

6:05 - 6:45 shower, dress, hair and make-up.

 

6:45 - 6:50 Physically kick Tony out of bed or take away his toys until he goes to bed.

 

6:50- 7:45 breakfast in the common area.

 

7:50 am arrive in office for Stark Industries.

 

Today, however, was a little different.  When she got up, Friday requested she check on Emily.  Pepper swung by in her gym clothes, planning on inviting the girl to come running with her.  She found Emily pacing the apartment like a caged animal.

 

“Are you OK?” she asked.

 

Emily stared at her.  “No, I don’t think I am, but I don’t know why.  I just can’t settle.”

 

Pepper considered this.  “Do you need to see medical?”

 

Emily thought for a moment.  “I don’t think so.  I just want to know how Victor is doing.”

 

Pepper looked hard at her, “Oh, sweetie, you can’t worry about them when they are gone.  It will drive you nuts.  I always try to stay extra busy.  I’m going to the gym.  Come with me!”

 

Emily nodded and got on her gym clothes.

 

She was doing a fairly bad job of following Pepper through her Yoga routine, when Mr Jarvis came on over the intercom and announced the team’s return.  Emily bounced up so fast, Pepper chuckled.

 

“Well, if you are going to be like that, do you want to meet them on the landing pad?”

 

“Really?” Pepper nodded. “Hell, yeah, I do!”  Emily replied.

 

\----

 

Clint didn’t see the RPG coming.  In fact, he only became aware of it when Victor was suddenly behind him.  Then there was an explosion and Sabertooth went down with most of his chest missing.

 

Hawkeye put an arrow through the eye socket of the guy who had fired at them.

 

That was the problem with fighting in this part of the world.  The Ten Rings had caves and foxholes everywhere.  It was like playing Whack-a-Mole, but for keeps.

 

By the time they had gotten the survivors rounded up and handed over to the local UN troops, most of Victor’s chest had grown back.  Clint and Logan loaded him onto the Quinjet and Bruce hooked up a bag of IV nutrition, while Natasha cut him out of what was left of his clothes.

 

They were just entering American airspace when Victor sat up.  “There are emergency clothes in the third cupboard from the back on the starboard side, and I’m going to go ahead and apologize for them right now.  It was funny when I stocked them.” Tony said, not taking his eyes off the skyline.

 

Which explains how Victor disembarked from the Quinjet wearing IronMan ™ footed pyjamas.

He was upright as he walked into Stark Tower from the helipad, but it was only through force of will.  He could see Emily waiting on the other side of the glass doors.  He forced himself to focus on her and walk forward.  He dragged his body up to her, his arms still hanging useless.  His throat had healed mostly over but his trachea wasn’t all the way grown back.  He couldn’t talk yet, but he managed a whine as he dropped to his knees in front of her.  She was worried and afraid.  His mate should not be worried and afraid.

 

Runt started walking towards them.  Victor snarled.

 

“Easy everyone.” Emily commanded.  Both Victor and Logan froze.  Victor looked back at her and whined again.  Hands shaking, Emily stroked his head.  Victor gave a sickly, squelching purr.  “What happened?”

 

Barton cleared his throat.  “He saved me from an explosion, but … he was badly injured.”  Clint had no idea how to explain that Victor had been ripped apart and effectively killed.  He didn’t want to think about what Victor must be feeling.  Logan had explained that getting injured still hurt.  A lot.  None of the team wanted to think about what it felt like to have most of your torso ripped apart.

 

Emily looked at him, then down at Victor.  She slowly unzipped his shirt.  The skin underneath was red and painful looking.  “Oh god.” she whispered. She kissed Victor’s forehead.  He tried purring again.  It was a little stronger this time.  “Good boy, that’s my good boy.”  He licked her neck.

 

Emily looked at Clint and held eye contact until he had to look away.  “You owe him a new coat.  He loved that thing.”

 

Clint nodded.

 

“Someone get me ice cream.  All the ice cream.  The higher calorie the better.”

 

Clint nodded, again, and started to go get that but Logan shook his head. “His guts won't be healed yet.  He shouldn't eat before he can talk.” 

 

Emily fixed her gaze on Logan.  “Ok.  He’s your brother, you are going to help me get him to his room.”

 

Logan shook his head, “He isn’t going to like that.”

 

Emily turned her full attention on Victor.  “I can’t get you back to your room on my own.  You need to let Jimmy help.  Understand?”  Victor nuzzled his face against her.  Emily looked at Logan.  “OK, let’s get him up.”

 

Bruce cleared his throat, “We should really take him to the hospital wing.”

 

Emily gave a dry, sarcastic laugh.  “He doesn’t fit into the double bed in his room.  How is he going to fit into a hospital bed?”

 

Pepper stared at her.  “Your rooms don’t have king sized beds?”  Emily shook her head, no.

 

Tony cleared his throat.  “Once again, I need to point out that it was funny when I did it…. It’s just less funny now.”

 

Barton gave Tony a look, “What?  Did you put a toddler bed in his room or something?’

 

“Now that would have be hilari-- wrong.  That would have been wrong.  No.  Both beds in his rooms are doubles.”

 

Emily looked at the two of them.  “His feet hang over the edge by at least half a foot.”

 

Clint started coughing.  “I’m sorry.  That is not funny at all.”

 

Victor growled a little and head butted Emily.  “I don’t know how to help you walk,” she said.

 

He gave a little whine as he slumped to the side, then rolled over so he was laying on his back.  Emily lay on the floor next to him and gently stroked his hair. “Ok.  I guess we just wait here for that magic healing trick to kick in.”

 

Natasha looked at the two of them on the floor then went to get a stretcher.

 

“Ok кролик, let’s get him back to your den.  You and I will take his shoulders and Logan can get his feet.”

 

Logan helped load Victor onto the stretcher, but said, “This is a bad idea.”

 

Emily looked at him, “Why?”

 

“You shouldn’t be alone with him when he wakes up and he’s gonna be pissed if Red and I go into his room.  He won’t need most of the crap in the hospital wing, except for the security measures they have in place.”

 

“And you’re saying a hospital room would be a really bad smelling neutral ground, or something like that.”

 

Logan nodded. “He and I … we have some… personality quirks.  Unfortunately, one of them is being a bit... What did Marie call it?  Oh yeah, “Stabby” when we wake up after trauma.”

 

Everyone was staring at him.  Barton looked at him and did air quotes as he said, “Stabby?”

 

Logan did his personal variation of flipping Clint the bird.

 

Emily wasn’t happy about it, but Victor was brought into one of the Hulk containment areas.  It was all smooth surfaces with nothing breakable.  He was carefully stripped to his skivvies then  transferred to the floor.  The stretcher was wheeled out.  At Logan’s insistence, Emily pulled up a chair to watch through the glass rather than waiting in the room with him.  That was quite a bit more interesting than she would have guessed.  The red slowly faded from his skin.  The tissue in his throat filled out.  His muscle mass shrank, but his abdomen filled out a bit.  Emily guessed that was his internal organs repairing themselves.

 

After a while, he got restless and eventually, jerked himself upright with a roar, claws and teeth bared.  He looked around, wildly, when he spotted Emily, he rushed over to her and pounded on the glass. Logan hit the intercom, “Just relax.  You can have her back once we know you are coherent.”

 

Victor took a step back and looked at the bullet proof, Hulk proof glass.  He scratched cross hatching in it with his claws, then punched through it with his fists.  He pounced through the opening and landed with his arms and legs caging Emily in.  He sniffed her face and neck.

 

“I’m OK!” She shouted, half to Victor and half to Logan as she heard his claws come out with a slight zing.

 

Victor heard it too.  He turned his face toward Logan and started to growl.  Emily put her hand on his cheek and pulled his face back towards hers.  “Hey!  Don’t worry about him.  Look at me!”

 

Logan took a step forward, “Not a good idea, Emily.”

 

Jarvis’s voice came over the intercom, “The Iron Legion is on it’s way.”

 

“No!” Emily said.  Victor turned back to her.  “Mr. Jarvis, I don’t want him to feel under attack.”  She made and held eye contact with Victor.  His pupils were still uneven.  He looked away.

 

“Ok, Victor.  You need to get off of me now.”

 

He whined.

 

She put her hands on his chest and carefully pushed.  “There is broken glass all over, you have to be careful so we don’t get cut.”

 

Victor scooped her up, lurched to his feet and walked over to the door.  He was leaving a trail of bloody footprints.  He got to the door and whined again.

 

“We can’t leave until you can talk.”

 

It took him a couple of tries, but Victor’s first words were, “Open the fucking door.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feed the muse


	34. Bite Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post event care. Limited pack discussions. Victor tries to gentleman, but doesn't tell Emily he thinks she's pretty.

Emily insisted Victor put her down, and he did, but he kept a careful grip on her right hand.

 

The hallway was white and sterile.  Victor was either familiar with this floor or tracking by scent back to the elevator.  Logan trailed behind.  The place was huge.  It seemed to Emily that there were miles of stark white hallways.  There were evenly spaced doors, but no landmarks that she could see.  It was like watching the background go past in a Hanna Barbera cartoon.  At one point Victor stopped and sniffed, then pushed Emily behind him with a growl.

 

He was completely focused on a door that looked exactly like every other door they had walked past.

 

Logan came up and stood next to Victor neatly boxing in Emily.  “Just keep moving, bub.”

 

Victor snorted, but sidled down the hallway, keeping himself between Emily and the apparently offensive door.

 

When they made it to the elevator, this one had no buttons, but Jarvis asked politely, “Which floor am I taking you to, today?”

 

Victor looked at Emily.

 

Emily cleared her throat.  “It’s time to enact my ice cream plan, Mr Jarvis.  We need food.”

 

Victor cocked his head at her.

 

“What?  You smell so much like hungry even someone without an enhanced nose could get it.”

 

Logan snorted.  “It’s called ketones.  Mostly people think it smells like the starving person is drunk.”

 

Emily gave him a disbelieving look.  “I was a waitress, drunk smells completely different.”

 

Logan just shrugged.

 

The elevator stopped and the doors opened on what Emily would forever try not to think of as the freaks and geeks cafe.  When they stepped out the doors closed and a section of wall came down and the secret elevator was effectively gone.

 

Emily watched this all.  Then she ran her hand over the wall.  “Huh.”

 

She looked up.  Victor was watching her.  “Go sit on the couch.  I’ll bring ice cream.  It’s easy to swallow.  We can work up from there.”

 

Victor sat on the couch, but growled when Logan followed Emily into the kitchen.

 

“Stop it!” she snapped.  “He’s helping me find the ice cream!  I haven’t raided the freezer here before.”

 

Victor gave a little whine that had Logan staring in disbelief.

 

Emily let that go for a few seconds before she said, “Logan?  Where is the ice cream?”

 

There was a freezer hidden in the cupboards, along with all the plates and serving dishes they routinely used at meals.  There was pretty much the entire Ben and Jerry’s collection in the freezer, but Emily wanted to start with something that didn’t have nuts or anything scratchy in it.  That pretty much just left her with Chocolate, Vanilla or Sorbet.  A quick read of the nutrition labels and she chose chocolate because it was slight higher in calories.

 

Emily opened the carton, grabbed a spoon and headed back to Victor who was watching her like she was prey.

 

Logan was not pleased when she straddled Victor’s lap.

 

“Think you can eat?”

 

Logan choked. Victor nodded. Emily fed him a spoonful of ice cream.

 

When they made it to the bottom of the carton, Victor said his second thing, “Butter pecan.”  He watched Emily for a moment, then added, “Please.”

 

Logan snorted then coughed and took another drink of his scotch.

 

Emily ignored him.  She found some butter pecan then asked, “Where is everyone else?”

 

Logan shrugged, “Staying out of Victor’s way until we are sure he isn’t going to attack.”

 

Emily glared at him.  “Victor is not going to attack!” she said, very offended.

 

“I might.” Victor replied.

 

Emily froze.  “Do I need to leave?”

 

Victor shook his head. 

 

Emily opened the next carton of ice cream.  “How are you feeling?”

 

Victor shrugged.  “Not the worst pain I’ve ever felt, but I’m not signing up for this on a regular basis.”

 

Emily stared at him. “Do I want to ask?”

“Runt stabbed me straight through the skull with his claws once.  That fight is now the gold standard for pain.”

 

“What?”  Emily glared at Logan.  “Why the hell would you do that?”

 

Logan opened his mouth to reply but Victor got there first.  “It’s OK.  It was actually helpful.  I think my brain repaired better than it was before I was stabbed.  I haven’t gone berserk since.  Plus Logan’s boss can’t get into my head to fuck with me anymore.”

 

“He’s not my boss.”  It had the tone of an old, familiar argument that wasn’t going to be resolved any time soon.

 

Emily decided it was time to change the subject.  “Thank you for saving Clint.”

 

Victor shrugged.  “Keep sitting in my lap, feeding me ice cream and it might almost be worth it.”

 

He was a little more than half way through the butter pecan when he said, “Come on, I’ll buy you a steak.”

 

Emily stared at him.  She cleared her throat, “Look, as adorable as you are in the arch-reactor undies, you are going to have to get dressed if we are going anywhere.”

 

“Fucking Stark.”

 

“Not the most well socialized person I have ever meet, but you can tell that he is trying.”

 

Victor ate two more spoonfuls of ice cream.  Then it sunk in.  “You think I’m adorable?” he asked, in a slight strangled voice.

 

Emily felt his cock twitch under her.  “Steak first, sex later.”

 

“Promise?” Victor asked, eagerly.

 

“No, but saving a teammate is pretty damn sexy.”

 

Victor considered this.  “Huh.”  He thought some more, “Wanna let him watch?”

 

Emily was shocked.  “No!  Why would you ask that?”

 

“Puppies like having the whole pack around.”

 

Logan was watching this carefully.

 

“No!” Emily repeated.  “I like having everyone around for dinner!  That's not the same as letting someone…” she blushed and trailed off.

 

Victor shrugged.  “OK.” He looked over at Logan, “Hey, Runt!  My girl wants everyone to come for steak.  Make ‘em show up, will ya?”

 

Logan grumbled as he left.

 

\----

 

Victor was getting dressed.  His skin was still a little tender.  In a way, he was glad Emily had said later.  Sex now would have been painful and he wasn’t sure she would get off on that.  He was sure she would be able to smell it on him at this point.  She likely already was and just didn’t know what she was smelling.  Or maybe she did.  He wouldn’t have guessed she would recognize the ketones.

 

He came out of his room and dug his not favorite pair of combats out of the front closet.  Emily came out in  [ one of the dresses ](https://www.pinupgirlclothing.com/collections/house-harlequins/blue-house/vintage-spirit-rose-print-dress.html) Jarvis had found for her. He smiled.  Be good, get to see her in dresses.  He could live with that.  The  [ new boots ](https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/kenneth-cole-new-york-adelynn-over-the-knee-boot-women/4665187?origin=coordinating-4665187-0-2-PDP_1-recbot-visually_similar_shoes_b&recs_placement=PDP_1&recs_strategy=visually_similar_shoes_b&recs_source=recbot&recs_page_type=product) looked good with it.  The  [ higher heel ones ](https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/charles-by-charles-david-perfect-over-the-knee-boot-women/4626810?top=72&flexi=60187876_60187880%7C60187876_60187881&flexi=8000461_8000465%7C8000461_8000466) would have been better. He honestly didn’t care if she couldn’t walk in them, having her hanging off his arm was a bonus.  They made her legs look amazing.  Fuck.  Her legs always looked amazing.

 

“You’re staring.”

 

Victor grunted.  “Do you know if they saved my boots?”

 

Emily shook her head.  “No.  Sorry.  I didn’t see any.”

 

“Fucking Stark.”

 

“I told Clint he had to replace your coat though.”

 

Victor was surprised.

 

Emily blushed.  “Come on, you loved that ratty thing.”

 

“Yeah.  It was time for a new one anyway.”  Victor got her coat out of the closet and held it for her.  He knew how to be a gentleman, it was just that he didn’t usually bother.

 

Emily was worth the bother.

 

She couldn’t reach his face, even on her tip toes, but she kissed his neck.  “Thank you.”

 

Victor gave a little purr.  “Bite me.”

 

Emily took a sudden step back.  “Excuse me?”

 

“When you do that, bite my neck a little.  Feels good.”

 

“Um… OK….”

 

He watched her for a moment.  She wasn’t going to.  He sighed and held the door open.  “Come on,  let’s go find some food.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I hope the links work)
> 
> Comments? Because, honestly, which of my three in progress fics I work on next is entirely dependant on where the comments go. Like American Idol, but with Pixie's Fics


	35. Snugglefest

Victor wanted a steak.  Emily just wanted oatmeal.  However exciting the last couple of hours had been, it was still closer to breakfast than to lunch.  When they arrived for breakfast, most of the team was already there.  Logan was eating pancakes. Natasha and Clint had found the fruit salad and waffles.  Thor wasn’t there yet, but Darcy was eating a chocolate croissant.  Steve was having oatmeal.  Tony was drinking something green.  The catering staff were all smiling politely, but Emily thought she recognized the “Oh shit, I can’t believe we just pulled a banquet out of thin air” look that the short order cook at the bar where she worked got when a tour bus arrived.

 

While Victor very nearly inhaled his steak, Emily was decidedly slowing down through her bowl of oatmeal.

 

“Are you OK?” Victor asked.

 

“Yeah.  I’m just tired.  I didn’t sleep well.”

 

Victor stared at her, then gave the Runt a thoughtful look.

 

“What?” Logan demanded.

 

“I wanna fight.”

 

“Fuck off!  I didn’t take a three hour nap halfway through the battle!”

 

“It wasn’t a nap!” Victor snarled.

 

Emily put her hand on his arm.  Victor froze and forced himself to relax.  “If you are going to go play with Logan-”

 

“Hey!” Logan protested.

 

“-I’m going to go take a nap,” Emily continued without a pause.

 

Natasha stood up, “Why don’t we go sit on the couches by the fireplace?  I need to talk to you, Emily.”

 

Victor watched her leave.  Then he had another couple of rounds of breakfast.  When he went to find Emily, she was asleep on the couch, her head in Natasha’s lap.  He stared for a moment, “You’re in my spot Red.”

 

“Well, if you want to wake her up….”

 

Victor growled softly.

 

Natasha smirked.  “Why don’t you take the other end of the couch and rub her feet?”

 

Victor considered this, looking at his hand.  He was still too on edge to retract his claws even a little.  “Don’t wanna scratch her.”  He sat on the floor and put his head on the couch about even with Emily’s belly button.  He closed his eyes and breathed in her smell, then exhaled with a little sigh.  Emily put her hand on his head in her sleep.  Yeah.  He could live with that.

 

“Can Clint rub her feet?” Natasha asked.

 

Almost asleep, Victor grunted his agreement.  As he started to drift off, he was vaguely aware of Barton sitting on the couch and pulling off Emily’s boots.

 

Logan came over, took one look of the pile of sleeping Avengers, muttered, “Fuck,” under his breath and went outside to have a cigar.

 

Tony watched the whole thing and made a note to get the security stills from Jarvis later.

 

Bruce on the other hand, had noticed Logan’s foul mood and started to wonder about how to get more than four people into a pile on a couch.  He was pretty sure Pepper wouldn’t approve of a random collection of pillows on the floor.  Hmm…  Maybe he could contact Simon and ask how packs did it.   The looper had seemed quite reasonable when they had called about Emily’s headache.  When Logan had insisted he come for breakfast, Bruce had gotten the impression that seeing the team was important to Emily.

 

He could see where it was unfair that Logan had gone to all the trouble of rounding up everyone from their individual post battle rituals only to be left out of the after meal cuddlefest currently taking place on the couch.

 

Bruce wandered over to Tony and nodded to the puppy pile.  “How do we arranged that so that more people can join in?”

 

Tony’s eyebrows went up.  “You feeling left out?  Well, I suppose you are one of the few people Victor wouldn’t try to gut for touching his girl.”  Tony considered this for a moment.  “Probably wouldn’t try to gut for touching his girl.  Maybe.  But hey, in that family, what’s a little eviscerating between friends, right?”

 

“Just answer the question, Tony.”

 

“I’ll think about it.”

 

\-----

 

Jarvis took the initiative to search the current catalog of Laz-y-boy couches.  When he failed to find what he was looking for, he designed a seven seater couch with each seat reclining individually.  Then he beefed up the engineering so that each seat could support six hundred pounds and sent the CAD drawings to the small company Stark industries hired to make super hero resistant furniture.  He also called the company owner at home and offered her a $50 000 bonus if the prototype could be delivered within a week.

 

Brooke was very enthusiastic to start the project.

 

\-----

 

Emily woke when Clint twitched in his sleep.  She didn't even remember him joining them on the couch. She breathed in everyone’s smell before she opened her eyes.  Clint was snoring, he smelled like post adrenaline crash. Natasha was sleepy and slightly aroused. Logan was sitting across the room, the stale smell of cigar not quite hiding that he was angry and upset. Victor was purring contentedly.

 

“What's wrong, Logan?” Emily asked sleepily.

 

“Nothing,” came the surly reply.

 

Victor grumbled, “He wants in your pants.”

 

Emily blushed and sat up. “Just because you do doesn't mean everyone does.”

 

Victor just grunted.  

 

At this point Natasha cleared her throat.  “Are you OK, Emily?  Do you need some time alone, or would you like a group activity?”

 

Emily looked at her, “Like what?”

 

“There are plenty of museums to visit.”

 

Emily shook her head.  “I’m not really interested in going out to be stalked by a bunch of Loopers.”  She thought for a moment, then looked at Victor.  “Excuse me, please.”

 

She hurried off.

 

Natasha yawned and stretched.  “Well, if she doesn’t need us, then I’m going for a massage.  See you at dinner and a movie?”

 

Clint asked, “Are we doing that tonight?”

 

Natasha shrugged.  “I am,” she said.  “You can join me if you like,” she added, magnanimously.

 

Clint just shook his head.  “I’ll think about it.”

 

After they left, Victor stared at Jimmy until the Runt said, “What?”

 

“She doesn’t dislike you, she just doesn’t think about sharing.”

 

“Fuck off!”

 

Victor laughed, “You don’t remember, do you?”

 

Logan stared at him, then stormed out.  He had no idea what Victor was talking about, but it was never a good idea to admit that.

 

Victor laughed again, then took the elevator to the lobby. He punched the Puppy on his way into the cafe.  He bought the variety of tea and weird sea shell cookies Emily liked, then (since his hands were full) kicked the Puppy on his way out.  The guy took a swing at him.  Victor easily leaned out of the way, but barked, “Hey!  You’ll make me spill her tea!”

 

The Puppy sagged.  Victor laughed all the way back to the elevator.  Today was turning out to be fun after all.

 

Victor found Emily running on the treadmill.  He watched.  “Wouldn’t you rather run outside than on that fucking hamster wheel?”

 

Emily shook her head, “I haven’t run outside since … I’m sorry, it still just sounds insane to say ‘I haven’t run outside since I was attacked by a werewolf.’  I mean, really.  I’m pretty sure you end up in the loony bin for saying that.  They probably even have some fancy ass disease name for that.”

 

“Lycanthropy.” Victor said calmly, as he reached over and adjusted the treadmill speed down a little.

 

“What?”

 

“It’s the fancy ass disease name for thinking you are a werewolf.  Come drink your tea, it’s getting cold.”

 

Emily did.  Victor wanted to lick the salt off her skin.

 

“I’m bored.”

 

He blinked, “What?”

 

“I got my first job when I was 15.  I have always worked and gone to school or worked two jobs to save for school or spend 20+ a week in rehab and worked an under the table job.  But here and now, I have nothing to do and I hate it.”

 

Victor considered this.

 

“And don’t tell me we should go back to your cabin up north where I can clean your cabin and cook your kills.”

 

Victor shook his head.  “That level of isolation isn’t good for animals that travel in packs.  When’s your next meeting with Chatty Cathy?”

 

Emily frowned at him. “Day after tomorrow.”

 

“Need to move it up?”

 

Emily shrugged.  “I need a job.”

 

“Or a hobby.  You could always get [ Steve to teach you how to knit ](http://www.littlestuffedbull.com/images/comics/capsweirdadventures/cac2b.jpg).”

 

Emily frowned, “This is one of those things where you are setting me up to piss off Captain America, isn’t it?  I mean, I get that it would be funny, but please don’t try to get me in trouble like that.”

 

Victor frowned back at her, then let it drop.  “What did you do in your spare time before?”

 

“Homework.  Swimming and cycling in the summer.  Skating and snowshoeing in the winter.  I bet they already have snow back home.”

 

“You miss it?”

 

“Yeah.”  Emily sighed.

 

Victor pulled her into a side hug and kissed the top of her head.  “C’mon.  Get dressed.  We’ll get Jarvis to organize tickets for us to skate at Rockefeller centre.”

 

Emily laughed, “I bet there isn’t a sudden outbreak of [ Shinny. ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinny)”

 

Victor considered this.  “Not without Stark’s help.”  He thought some more.  “Think we should invite the Runt?”

 

“[ Does he skate? ](http://www.therobotspajamas.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/xm15.jpg)”

 

Victor just grinned.

  
  


Author’s Note 

*I haven’t actually seen this episode, I’m relying on [ The Robot’s Pajamas ](http://www.therobotspajamas.com/x-men-had-a-christmas-special-it-was-sappy/) for a summary. 

Also Bully Comics for the  [ Cross dressing, knitting Cap ](http://bullyscomics.blogspot.ca/2011/01/captain-americas-weird-tales.html) sneaking into Europe panel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments please. I hope the links work.


	36. History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not beta read yet. I once again reserve the right to adjust based on reader feedback. Not entirely sure about this one.
> 
> I'm expecting some one is getting lucky next chapter. Please vote:  
> a) Victor & Emily  
> b) Logan & Emily  
> c) Victor & Logan & Emily  
> d) Victor & Logan (but not Emily)  
> e) Natasha & Emily (for the wildcard slot)

Victor leaned against the wall and watched as Emily knocked on Logan’s door.  The Runt opened it with a glare that softened slightly when he saw it was her.

 

“We are going skating.  Wanna come?”

 

Victor snorted quietly.  Logan frowned.  Emily subtly shifted her weight so that she was braced a little.  Victor found that interesting.  Jimmy did not disappoint.

 

“I hate skating.”

 

“Ah!  Right!  Sorry to have bothered you.”

 

He watched her to see what she would do next.  Emily eyed him back.  It was two predators eying each other up, gauging what was going to happen next.  Except a Yennork isn’t a predator unless you count  having a pack to back her up.  Which left Emily all swagger and instinct and no teeth.  She didn’t seem to realize that.  Victor shifted his weight so that he was no longer holding up the wall.

 

“What is your problem?”  Emily demanded.  “I’m trying to be nice here.  Just say no and stop glaring at me like I kicked your puppy.”

 

Victor couldn’t help himself, he burst out laughing.

 

They both ignored him.

 

Logan thought about that.  A lie would be easy.  And stupid.  She would know.  “There wasn’t any room on the couch for me.”

 

Emily watched him.  He could see when understanding occurred.  Now she took a step back.  “I was taking up the whole thing and I’m not even part of the team.”  She blew out the breath she had been holding.  “You probably have a bunch of post event rituals that I just completely messed up there.”  She looked at the wall to the left of the door, her eyes twitching as she thought about that.  “That was incredibly rude of me.  You have my sincere apologies.  I will be careful not to interfere again.”  She turned to leave.

 

“Wait.”  Emily froze.  It was the first time she had heard Victor and Logan speak together.

 

Now they were glaring at each other.  It was finally Victor who cleared his throat.  “Jimmy doesn’t remember, because he has brain damage-”

 

“Hey!”

 

“-but he and I travelled as a pack for close to a century.  Until our ex-boss silver plated his bones and shot him in the head.”

 

“Wait!  What?”  Emily asked.

 

Victor sighed.  “It’s a long story and my part in it will just piss you off.  The point is, I’m not sure Runt here can even understand it, but I think he wants back into our pack.”

 

Emily considered this.  She started to speak, then stopped.  “I have a bunch of questions that I really shouldn’t be asking in the hallway.”  She thought some more.  “I may be new at this but I’m pretty sure it would be incredibly rude to invite myself into either of your spaces.  My room is inside Victor’s space and I only have the one chair. -”

 

“Come in.” Logan said, stepping aside.

 

For some reason, Emily expected Logan’s apartment to be messier than it was.  Sure, there were a couple of empty beer cans on the coffee table, but there weren’t the overflowing ashtrays she was expecting.  There weren’t any ashtrays that she could see.  No random clothing abandoned on the floor.  Both of these men seemed to be tidier than than any of the boys she or her friends had dated.  Her nose was telling her Logan never smoked in here, the cigar smell was just what came in on his clothes.  She could also tell he usually sat right in the middle of the couch.

 

She sat respectfully in the chair across the room. Logan took his favourite seat.  Victor looked at the loveseat, then at the chair where Emily was sitting.  In the end, he nodded at Logan to move over and they each took a side of the chesterfield.

 

Emily considered her words carefully.  “What exactly do you mean when you say you were a pack?”

 

Logan turned to look at his brother, “Yeah, Victor what do you mean by that?”

 

Victor shrugged.  “We lived, worked and fought in a lot of wars together for about a eighty or ninety years.”

 

“So…” Emily continued, “This wasn’t a sex thing then?”

 

“No!” Logan exclaimed at the same time Victor calmly answered, “Sometimes.”

 

Both Emily and Logan stared at him.  He ignored the Runt and focused on Emily, “What you need to understand is that if either one of us needs to fuck hard, there are very few … people who we won’t injure.  Either one of us fucking the other… well, someone still gets hurt, but we get over it in a few minutes rather than permanently injuring someone.”

 

Emily thought about that.  “You didn’t hurt me.”

 

“You aren’t exactly people anymore, darling.  And that isn’t me complaining or trying to be dismissive, but you aren’t people any more than Jimmy and I am.”

 

She thought about this.  Blushing slightly and not looking at Logan she asked the floor, “Do you have … um… scratchy things too?”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Victor shook his head.  “He doesn’t have spines, but he does have a knot.  Women can work up to that, but it isn’t exactly pleasant the first few … dozen times.”

 

“Your spines didn’t hurt exactly, they were just sort of… scratchy.”

 

“Wait, what?”

 

Victor continued to ignore him, “I think that’s the Yennork thing.  Generally, I have to be out before they deploy or I tear up my partner pretty bad.”

 

Logan stood up at that point.  “What are you talking about?  Spines?  What?”

 

Emily looked at him.  “Uh…” She looked at Victor, who shrugged.  “Victor’s dick gets kind of… scratchy when he cums.”

 

Logan shook his head and left the room muttering, “I did not need to know that.”

 

Emily called after him, “Was that thing he said about you wanting to get into my pants right? Or was it just that you like cuddles, too?”  Emily heard the thunk of the ice maker followed by the sound of a cork coming out of a bottle and the smokey smell of old whiskey.

 

He didn’t come back to the living room until he had most of the scotch in him, then he refilled the glass up to the rim and answered a quiet, “Both.”

 

Emily was startled and looked at Victor, who shrugged.  “Your call.”

 

“My call?  What do you mean, ‘my call’? What the hell?”

 

“He was part of my pack for decades.  If you want a tumble, I’m not going to be bothered.  Not by him.  You will still smell like pack when you come home.”  Victor considered this.  “Might be more bothered if it turns into sleepovers without me.”  He thought some more, “Or if he hurts you.”

 

The were both staring at him.  

 

“I always did enjoy watching him lick a girl clean after I finished.”

 

Emily felt her body respond to that.  Her nipples crinkled, her body started dripping.  Victor’s nose twitched and he gave a lazy half grin.

 

Logan thought he might almost remember that.  “We took turns going first.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“...And my brain just exploded.  Excuse me.”  Emily stood up.

 

Victor stood up.  “I am not asking you to do anything you don’t want to.  I am just… sharing my history.”

 

“That you used to have sex with your brother.”

 

Victor shrugged.  “More like my best friend.  We weren’t raised thinking we were brothers.  That happened once we were on our own.  I’m still not convinced we have the same father.  It is more likely there was a mutagenic event that affected both our mothers.” Victor nodded in Logan’s direction.  “I’m mean look at him.  He’s a foot shorter and has completely different colouring.”

 

Emily snorted.  “Within the narrow range of European, you mean.”

 

Victor shrugged, “No one off the street would look at us and guess we are half brothers.”

 

“How can you say I’m your best friend when you have spend so much time trying to kill me?”

 

Now Victor flat out laughed.  “Jimmy!  I was never trying to kill you!  I know I can’t!  Who else can I let loose and really play rough with?  Besides, you always give as good as you get.  Well, almost.  Better now that you are silver plated.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every vote counts


	37. Group Activities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emily goes skating, then to dinner and the movies. Victor wonders if it is later yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily is not going into heat. It is not that kind of story. This is a red herring that I would, in any other work let you stew on, but given that this piece could already be triggering, I am giving you fair warning.
> 
> There will not be any dub-con about Emily going into heat and needing to fuck the whole team. I don't write ABO and I don't write sex pollen. The closest you will get is Emily and or Victor becoming a little non-verbal. But I promise everyone will be enthusiastic participants.

Emily was watching Nat and Clint skate.  Clint was doing ok.  He was a decent enough skater.  Natasha skated like an olympic figure skater.  She had taught Clint how to do the throws so Nat could get the air to do spins, but the rink was too full to do many of them.

 

Emily skated like a hockey player, but she did so with a lot of enthusiasm.

 

Victor was watching from the line.  Jack leaned over and said, “She’s not bad.”

 

“Shut it.  Just because I let you tag along to help me keep an eye on her doesn’t mean I like you.”

 

Jack just shrugged.  On his shifts watching the lobby of Stark tower, Victor had kick and/or punched him a number of times.  He was prepared to let it slide.  Yennork were allowed to keep pets.  It was a bit odd to keep ferals, but historically speaking not the strangest thing a Yennork had brought home over the centuries. Still, he needed to ask, “How’s the sex going? I thought you two were going at it, then it was just the once.”

 

“Fuck off.”

 

“Look, I don’t want her to get hurt.  Yennork aren’t quite like women.  They need special handling.”

 

Victor didn’t say anything. Jack took that as permission to continue.  “It isn't like with an alpha, where they just take what they need-”

 

Victor snort-laughed.

 

“- you have to plan ahead, get consent and stick to the script.  No one wants to have their Yennork wake up feeling violated.  Our worst fear is that she has an involuntary heat while you are out saving the world.  Do you understand why?”

 

Victor shook his head.

 

“Because at that point, she comes down to the lobby and whichever unlucky Looper is on duty in that day takes her home and helps her through it.  But there won’t have been any previous discussion, or consent.  When she comes back to herself, she will absolutely hate whoever she wakes up next to.  No Looper ever wants that to happen.  We have extensive rules in place to try to make sure it doesn’t.”

 

“I was told that heats were voluntary.”

 

“Not usually the first one.  It works fairly well for us.  Gives the Yennork a chance to bond with the whole pack and get over whatever social norms she has drilled into her.  Not so great when she doesn’t have a permanent pack, though.”

 

Victor went back to watching Emily laughing as she fell on her ass.  Natasha was trying to teach her how to do a jump.  Maybe it was time to get her thinking about who she wanted in a permanent pack.

 

\----  


At movie night, Emily ended up on the couch with Victor and Logan again.  They were watching Hocus Pocus, which Emily was loving and everyone else was mostly putting up with.  Then she started explaining the cultural references, at which point it became much more interesting within the context of Emily’s childhood experiences.

 

Victor was just really happy to have her curled up against his side with her arms around his chest.

 

At one point, she looked over at where Logan was sitting.  “My feet are probably still cold.  How upset will you be if I put them up on the couch?”

 

“It’s fine.” Logan grumbled.

 

She did, being careful not to kick him.  He reached over and put the back of his hand against to sole of her foot.  Then he slid over a couple of inches, pulled them into his lap and wrapped his hands around them.  “They’ll warm up in a minute,” he said.

 

Natasha smirked at Clint in the back row.  He offered her some popcorn.  Neither one of them was watching the movie.  It wasn’t even close to the most entertaining thing in the room.

 

As the credits were rolling, Victor said.  “I talked to one of the Puppies today.”

 

Everyone turned to look at him.

 

“They are worried about you being left alone when we go on missions.”

 

Natasha nodded.  “We’ll have to figure something out.”

 

“Why would they care?” Emily asked.  “It’s not like the mechanical squid thing happens on a regular basis.”

 

As Victor was thinking about how to explain the next bit, Natasha came back with, “They are worried about you being alone and needing someone.  There are going to be times where you shouldn’t be alone, кролик.  Remember I said you needed to plan ahead for when you can’t talk.  That is why you need to have people around you trust.”

 

Emily blushed.

 

“I already gave her a lot to think about today, Red.  We could save it until tomorrow.”

 

\----

 

Victor followed Emily into the apartment.  He closed the door and found her standing right close to him.  

 

“I’m wondering how your skin is looking after a whole day of recovery.”

 

“I’m wondering if it’s later yet.”

 

Emily looked confused for a moment.  Then she smirked.  “Let me see the damages and we can discuss it.”

 

Victor pulled off his shirt.

 

Emily ran her hands over his chest.  The skin was soft and, “Your chest hair hasn’t grown back yet.”

 

“Hair takes a while. Callouses take half as long as it takes to build up new ones on anyone.”

 

She leaned forward and sniffed his skin, then nuzzled her cheek against him.

 

“Hmmm.” Victor purred.  “Want you.”

 

“Want you too.” Emily replied.

 

Victor scooped her up and carried her to the couch.  “What am I allowed to do?”

 

Emily looked a little panicky.  “Um…  Stuff?”

 

Victor shook his head.  “Be specific.  I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

Emily took a deep breath and closed her eyes.  “I liked having you lick me, but it pissed me off when you told me to beg.  It was like you found my off switch.”

 

Victor considered this and remembered what Natasha had told him.  “OK.  What else?”

 

Emily shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Last time was really nice, except for the part where you stopped half way through.  I mean, I get that you were checking in to make sure I was OK, but your timing was really, really bad.  It was like…  I don’t even know, drowning?  I needed more in a way that I can’t even describe.  And I’m kind of ashamed of just…”  she trailed off.

 

Victor watched her.  “I really liked when you bit and licked me.  I like it when you touch me.”  He thought about it for a moment.  “I like that you let me touch you.  I know you don’t have to, but I also really like it when you want to touch me.”

 

“I liked being on top,  I could adjust so it felt good.  It … didn’t at first.  It took me a moment to figure it out.”

 

Victor nodded.  “I’m fine with that.”

 

“If you were serious about having Logan watch…  I think I might need to work up to that.  I mean…  If you and he need some alone time, I can… You could just leave a tie on the door knob or something.”

 

Victor laughed.  “You think either of us own a tie?”

 

Emily rolled her eyes, “Fine, a pair of underwear or something.  My point is… Logan is fine one day and a bit of a jack ass the next.  Maybe I just need to get to know him more, but currently he isn’t someone I want to be naked with.”

 

Victor nodded.  He made and held eye contact as he leaned in to kiss her.  She kissed him back and coiled her arms around his neck.  He pushed up her skirt and went to pull down her panties.

 

She leaned back.  “You need to work up to that.”

 

Victor didn’t say anything but kissed her again.  If that was what she wanted, he was happy to oblige, but he could smell how ready she was.  It was a comfort thing, not a physical need.

 

Victor was surprised to realize he was prepared to be comforting.

 

Emily climbed into his lap and nuzzled his face and neck.  She gave his ear lobe an experimental nibble.  

 

Victor started to purr.  He ran his hands over her back and tried to find the zipper on her dress.  After a moment of frustration, he growled and asked, “How much do you like this dress?”

 

Emily tensed and leaned back.  She made eye contact and scanned his face.  Finally, she admitted, “I hate this dress.  I hate wearing dresses.  The only reason I put this on is that I thought you might like it.  I am so proud you saved one of the team; I was trying to do something nice for you.”

 

Victor stared at her in amazement, but before he could comment on her being proud of him, she continued. “It didn’t exactly work out as I hoped.  The dress didn’t get so much as a smile let alone a compliment.”

 

Now Victor frowned.  “You look gorgeous.  I said that.”

 

Emily furrowed her brow, “No you didn’t.”

 

“Yes.  You came out of your room looking amazing in that dress and the boots were making your legs look great and I said-”

 

“You asked if I knew what happened to your boots.”

 

“Oh.”  Victor thought for a moment. “Well, then allow me to show you how much I appreciate you in this dress.”  He ran his hands over her shoulders and down her chest.  “I love how the fabric ghosts over your body and caresses your curves.  This bit here, where it cinches in, shows off your waist then curves out over those gorgeous hips so that all I can think of is cupping that perfect ass beneath it.”

 

He slid his hands up her back.  “But however much I love the way this dress looks on you, I can’t wait to get you out of it.”  And with that he raked his hands down her back, carefully shredding the dress, but not her skin. “Because underneath it, is a woman worth worshipping.”  He peeled the remains of her clothes from her body and licked her skin.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the comments.


	38. Negotiations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some sex

Emily would not have previously described having someone lick her as sexy.  It was one of those things eight year old boys did to be disgusting.  This was different. They were little licks between kisses and gentle nips with his teeth.  He also found places to taste her that she would not have expected to feel as good as they did.  Like the curve along the undersides of her breasts. Of the bottom line of her rib cage.  Or, oh god, the way he nibbled on her hip bones.

 

And as he kissed his way down her body, old hang ups reared their ugly head.  He was nuzzling her neatly trimmed curls when she suddenly sat up and pulled away.

 

Victor froze, then looked up at her with puppy dogs eyes. His pupils were huge.  He gave a quiet whine and a questioning look.

 

“You…” Emily looked away.  “You don’t have to do that.  I mean…  It’s OK if you don’t. I want-”

 

Victor interrupted her with, “If you don’t want me to, that’s fine.  But I want to.”

 

She gave him a worried, questioning look.

 

“It’s your body, you get to say.”  Victor hesitated.  “Your body changes when you cum.  I had warning about that and I was still surprised when your bones cracked as everything rearranged.  Sex will be better for both of us if you cum first.”

 

Now it was Emily’s turn to look confused.  “From what I hear, it won’t make much difference for you.”

 

Victor shook his head.  “The scratchy part?  Usually whoever I’m fucking ends up with their insides shredded after that.  To the point where I haven’t actually cum inside anyone since the Runt in the 70’s.  Well, not unless I was planning -” Victor stopped there.  He was pretty sure finishing that sentence with ‘to kill them afterwards’ was not what she wanted to hear right now.  “I wasn’t planning on cumming inside you either.  None of that was expected. But you just held me tight and…”  He trailed off.

 

He tried again.  “So tongue or fingers or we buy some toys, but -”

 

Emily’s eyes focused suddenly on his hands.  “How would your fingers work?”

 

Victor sighed and sat back.   He looked at his hands for a moment, then reached out and carefully stroked her leg with just the pad of his finger, his claws as drawn in as he could get them.  Then he used the edge of his index finger, then his knuckles, then the edge of his hand.  “Carefully,” he said.  “Or your fingers and I hopefully get to watch and lick them clean afterwards.  I don’t want to hurt you, Emily.  And I’m pretty sure that means you need to cum first.”

 

She was watching him with a slightly predatory look, but it was the look of a [ kitten considering how to attack a toy when it wasn’t sure what the toy was going to do ](https://youtu.be/_MqHN-4okZ4) .  Victor reminded himself that he didn’t find this sort of thing adorable, and wondered, yet again, how he had ended up being the one to talk to her about this.  He was Sabretooth!  This was NOT the sort of thing he did.  “You keep saying I don’t have to, but you haven’t said you don’t want me to.”

 

Now she blushed hard and looked away. It was only a combination of paying close attention and having good hearing that let him decipher her mumbled, “is dirty and smells, tastes bad.” 

 

“Who told you that?”

 

Mumble, mumble, “ex-boyfriend.”

 

“Ex-boyfriend, as in ‘do blow jobs count?’ ex-boyfriend?”

 

Nod.

 

Victor made a mental note to track the kid down and beat him.  “I’m not him.  I love the way you taste.”

 

She gave him a skeptical look. He leaned forward to kiss her again.  He slid a hand between her legs and began gently rubbing his knuckles over her clit.  “OK?” he asked.

 

Her eyes squeezed shut and she nodded. He recaptured her mouth, she wrapped her hands around his head and arched her back towards him.

 

This time he was prepared for the soft crunching sound as she came.  He didn’t stop rubbing her even when she stopped kissing him to gasp. Her hands grabbed his shoulders, her nails biting into his skin.  Her hips began to twitch against his hand.

 

Victor growled, “Bite-”

 

She did.  She leaned in and bit him hard on the neck as her arms and legs tried to coil around him.  Victor moaned, he couldn’t even begin to describe how good that felt.  He knew he had a biting, scratching kink, but suddenly it was like he had spent his whole life chasing this.  Her teeth in his neck, her claws in his skin.  It was perfect.  Almost.

 

Emily was leaning shakily away from him.  He made eye contact and watched her as he licked her juices from his hand.  She tensed and held eye contact. After a moment, her eyes narrowed and Victor looked down. Now she relaxed.

 

“Sit.” It was a growl, barely understandable.  Victor slid over and sat on the couch. Emily watched him.  The way she moved over towards him was all predator, no kitten.  Her hands went to his belt.

 

“Can I help?”

 

He watched as she started to snarl but forced herself to stop. She sat there, the internal battle was clearly waging in her head.  She nodded.  Victor’s pants hit the floor a moment later.

 

Again, she started to pounce, but forced herself to stop.  Victor remembered what the Puppy had said, “It isn’t like fucking a alpha, where they just take what they need.”  He could see that.  Alpha Emily wanting to just take him battling for control with the side of Emily who was genuinely afraid she had raped him last time.

 

Victor thought fast, whatever he said here needed to speak to both sides of that.  

 

“Please?”

 

That worked, she straddled his lap and lowered herself onto him.  Her hands went to his shoulder and he felt her nails pricking at his skin before she forced her hands to relax.

 

Victor chuckled.

 

Emily narrowed her eyes.

 

“I like the hurt.  Make me bleed.”

 

She must have taken that as a challenge, because her nails sunk into his flesh a moment later. Victor gave a satisfied grunt. Emily began to grind. She licked his chest and scraped her teeth over his nipple before biting hard enough to draw blood and licking the wound as it healed.  It took every ounce of concentration for Victor to keep himself from cumming right there. 

 

He started to purr. 

 

Emily smirked, she started to rock faster. Making little whines and grunts, she clawed at his back as she came with a gasp. As she sagged, Victor grabbed her hips and bounced her.  He roared out his release only a couple of strokes behind hers. 

 

As he stilled, Emily nuzzled his chest. He stroked her back.  They sat there dozing for a moment, but when Emily gave a shiver that was almost a shutter, Victor tossed her over his shoulder and headed towards his room. 

 

What happened next shocked the hell out of him. 

 

Emily dug her fingernails into the backs of his legs.  Not in a playful scratching way, no, she was gouging out chunks of tissue. At the same time she slammed her knees into his diaphragm. Victor dropped to his knees. Emily scrambled away from him. 

 

She stood there, glaring at him, clearly ready for a fight she would lose and snarled, “You do NOT carry me off like I'm your kill!”

 

Absolute rage was just boiling off of her. 

 

From where he was kneeling on the floor, Victor copied the gesture he had seen the Puppies do. He tilted his head and exposed his neck. 

 

She relaxed a little, not enough.

 

Victor dropped his gaze and said, “You are right, we didn't discuss that.”

 

Now she forced herself to relax. “Did I hurt you?”

 

Victor shrugged. “Just enough to get my attention.”

 

“You don’t get to just decide things like that.  Invite me to your room.  Offer to carry me.  Don’t just go all caveman on me.  Non-consensual touching is NOT sexy.”

 

Victor nodded, “I remember you telling me that.”  Emily closed her eyes and went very still for a moment.  “I wasn’t thinking of that.  I just didn’t want you to be cold.”

 

Emily shivered.  Victor’s hands twitched.  “I want to take you to bed and keep you warm.”  She thought about that.  Victor had been hoping she would just agree.  “Warm and safe,” he added.

 

“Are you going to be mean to me again?”

 

Victor froze.  It took him a moment to remember what she was talking about.  “I’m not going to try to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

 

She stared hard at him.

 

“You know I’m not lying,” he said, finally.

 

“Yeah.  I do.  OK.”

Victor took a step towards her, then froze.  “Can I carry you?”  he hesitated, then added, “If I don’t just sling you over my shoulder like my kill?”

 

Emily kept watching him.  Finally she asked.  “Is this important to you?”

 

“Yes!” he said immediately.

 

She nodded.  Victor closed the space between them and swept her up into his arms.  He carried her to bed and very carefully spooned up behind her.  He kissed her shoulder.  She wiggled around in his arms and hugged his chest.  “When you are gentle and snuggly, I love being here.  When you get all grabby and demanding, I just want to run.  I know you like it rough, but I don’t.”

 

Victor nodded.  He nuzzled her face.

 

“Are we good?” Emily asked.

 

Victor hummed his agreement.

 

“OK.” Emily wiggled away from him.  “I’m going to get cleaned up.”

 

“Let me.”

 

“Let you what?”

 

“Let me, please?”

 

Emily froze and stared at him in confusion.  Then she snorted.  “No, I was asking what you wanted me to let you do.”

 

“Let me clean you.” She didn’t seem to be understanding, so Victor licked his lips.  

 

Now she blushed.  “Oh.  Wow.  Um… I can’t ask you to do that.”

 

Victor should his head.  “The question isn’t if you can ask me to do that, the question is can you let me do that?”  After another moment he added, “Please?”

 

Emily frowned.  “I have your cum running down my legs.”

 

Victor moaned.  “Do you think that telling me you will taste like you are mine is going to be a turn off?”

 

Emily was uncertain now, “Yes?”

 

Victor held eye contact and shook his head, no.  “I want to lick you clean, then taste you as you cum on my tongue.  Over and over again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Give me some love -
> 
> Also... sorry, I guess I just can't crack the 2000 word chapter


	39. Sharing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting up for a holiday special... since I missed Halloween.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to apologize to the residents of all the towns I mention. I have never been there and am relying on Google for information.

Victor didn’t stop until Emily actually tangled her hands in his hair and dragged his mouth away from her cunt.  He grinned as her juices ran down her chin, as she curled over onto her side and passed out. Normally, this is where he would spoon up behind a gal and and rut into her, hard, while she was too cum drunk to complain.

 

But the woman on the internet said he wasn’t supposed to do that.  He could only imagine Emily’s reaction to waking up that way.  Instead, he ran his hand over her folds and helped himself to one last taste of her nectar.  As he was licking his knuckles, he realized what was missing.  Victor watched Emily breathing for a moment.  It was slow and regular, she wouldn’t be waking up on her own for a few moments. He headed out of his apartment and knocked on the Runt’s door.

 

“What- Where are your pants?” Logan almost managed to finish the question before Victor grabbed him by the back of the neck and pressed his palm over the smaller man’s mouth.

 

“Ours!” He said.  “Go on, taste how good she is!”

 

Logan frowned, but licked his lips as Victor took his hand away.  His pupils blew almost instantly.  “Is…. is that Emily?”

 

Victor grinned, nodded and bent down to kiss Jimmy full on the mouth, his tongue sliding the flavour of Emily’s cum passed the Runt’s lips.  Jimmy froze for a moment, then frantically kissed Victor back.  Chasing the flavour himself, he ended up licking Victor’s chin.

 

“Fuck,” he whined.

 

“Good, isn’t it?” Victor grinned.  “You gotta be nicer to her, Jimmy.  Convince her to let you taste straight from the source.”

 

That was too much for Logan, “Shit.  Are you giving me advice with women?”

 

“Yeah.  She thinks you don’t like her.  Fix it.”  And with that, Victor headed back to his room.

 

“Shit.” Logan repeated to Victor’s naked back.  “How?”

 

Victor ignored him.  Logan growled then turned and headed back into his apartment.  

 

Logan’s problem was that he was suddenly noticed Victor’s ass.  No!  His problem was that Victor was an ass, and Logan couldn’t tell if that story about them… sharing, was actually true. Logan thought, maybe, he remembered something like that…. But it was just as possible that Victor was just messing with his head.

 

And that poor girl!  Emily did not deserve Victor, nevermind Victor trying to organize passing her around like … that.

 

Victor must have seen him naked at some point. That thing about his knot…  Maybe he had just heard rumours and decided to run with them.

 

Ugh.  This was… This was what he got for doing Victor Creed a favour!  Fuck.  FUCK!  Charles had said it seemed like Victor was being upfront about what he wanted for the girl, but it wasn’t so easy to read Victor these days.  And he called Logan brain damaged!  Ha!  That made two of them!

 

\----

 

Emily woke up and was just done.  That was it.  She was done. She needed to be out of here.  She wiggled out of Victor’s grasp without saying a word and went to her room.   She showered, got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt.  She looked at her sock drawer and muttered, “fuck it,” under her breath. She left her room in her bare feet and ignored Victor making coffee as she walked through the kitchen to the door.

 

“I’ll talk to you later, OK?”

 

“Wait, what?’ he called after her as the door closed.  

 

She was waiting by the elevator when Victor rushed out of his apartment.  “Where are you going?”  He demanded.

 

“Out for a couple hours.  I’ll see you later.  At supper or something.”

 

“You aren’t wearing any shoes!”

 

Emily shrugged.  “You aren’t wearing any clothes, but I wasn’t going to judge.”

 

There was a snicker from down the hall and Victor turned to see Jimmy watching them.  “Enjoying the show, runt?”

 

Logan shrugged.

 

Emily got on the elevator while Victor’s back was turned, but he squeezed in before the doors closed.

 

She sighed.  “Mr Jarvis.  Would you please let Mr Creed out before we leave the floor?”

 

“Of course, Ms Farthing.”  The doors opened.  Logan was still watching with an amused look on his face.  Emily tried giving Victor a push towards the door.  It was like trying to push a cement truck.

 

She made an annoyed sound and glared at him.  Then she pointed to the doors and commanded, “Get out!”

 

Victor snarled at her.

 

“I just need a couple of goddamn hours to myself!  Now piss off!”

 

Victor slunk off the elevator.  The doors closed.  Jarvis asked, “Where are we going today, Ms Farthing?”

 

“Do I still have either of those apartments you arranged for me?”

 

“The second one is still set up, yes.”

 

“I would like to stop there, please.”

 

“Of course, Ms Farthing.”

 

“Thank you, Mr Jarvis.”  Emily hesitated.  “If I wanted to go home for a week, would you be able to arrange that?”

 

There was a moment of silence.  “I was under the impression that there wasn’t anything for you to go back to Prince Albert for, Ms Farthing.”

 

Emily shook her head.  “I was only in PA for the school.  I live in Smeaton, Mr Jarvis.  I haven’t been home in over a year and I’m feeling really homesick today.”

 

Jarvis searched the internet for Smeaton.  “Ah.  Yes, Ms Farthing, I believe I understand.  I will speak to Mr Stark and see what I can arrange.”

 

\----

 

“She what?” Victor roared.

 

“She left, Mr Creed.  She will be back in a week.  I have arranged for her to take Agents Barton and Romanov with her.”  


“Why?”

 

“I thought it would be a matter of secur-”

 

“Why did she leave?”

 

“She did not offer an explanation.  However, it is only two weeks to Christmas.  I would expect that she would have some friends at home that she may wish to see.” Jarvis said, diplomatically.  He also chose not to point out that if you search the name Farthing and the place Smeaton the only news article that came up was the deaths of Emily family, two years ago the day after tomorrow.

 

He also felt no need to point out that Emily’s birthday had come and gone while the team had been deployed this last time.  Ms Farthing had chosen not to raise the issue.  He was not about to violate her privacy.

 

\----

 

It was Emily’s second time on a plane.  Well, third if you couldn’t the air ambulance ride.  Which she didn’t.  She didn’t remember that, so it didn’t count.  Actually, given the pain filled haze she had been in on the way to New York, maybe that didn’t count either.  They were flying commercial.  That had been a struggle.  In Tony Stark’s mind, even business class was something unfortunate that happened to other people.

 

Natasha was sporting a black pixie cut and Clint was suddenly blond.  It was kind of creepy and the residual smell of the dyes kept making her sneeze.

 

The recycled air on the plane was a special kind of hell.  Their trip had been, New York to Minneapolis, Minneapolis to Saskatoon. They stayed overnight in Saskatoon in a pretty hotel that looked like a castle.  In the morning, Emily bought a few groceries and a cooler, then they rented a truck and drove north for four hours to get to the house she grew up in.

 

Natasha refused to let them stop in Prince Albert, pointing out that who ever had bitten her might still be there.

 

Jarvis had arranged to have the phone and electricity turned back on, but the house was cold and musty when they got there.  Emily started a fire in the wood stove and changed the batteries in the smoke detector and the carbon monoxide detector before walking down to the Co-op to buy the rest of the groceries she wanted.

 

Clint went with her.  “Are you OK?”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

“You didn’t say much on the trip up here.”

 

“Just feeling a little blue is all.”

 

They walked through the door of the small supermarket.  There was a bell that jingled as the door opened.

 

“Emily!  How are you girl?”

 

“I’m fine Connie.”

 

“Home for the holidays, then?”

 

“Nah.  Just for a visit.  I still have a little more than ten months before my … shoulder replacement program is done.”

 

“Yeah, we heard about that.  It’s amazing what they can do these days.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“You’ll be wanting to stop by and visit your parents and Taylor while you’re here?”

 

“I was thinking about it.”

 

“Jim’s been keeping the grass cut.  I’ll put the word out for him to clear the snow.”

 

“Thanks, Connie.”  Emily hesitated.  Connie was watching Clint over her shoulder.  “This is Nicholas Mathews.  He and his wife, Jessica are going to be helping me out while I’m in town.”

 

“That’s nice dear.  Why don’t you all come over for supper tomorrow?    I know Michael will be happy to see you.  He and Robert just brought down a moose, so I’ll make the stew you love.”

 

“Aw, thank you so much!”

 

Emily paid for the groceries and Clint carried them back to her house.  Natasha was swearing, prolifically, in three languages.  

 

“What’s wrong?” Clint was being excessively nonchalant.

 

“I can’t get cell service.”

 

“There isn’t any cell service.  Smeaton is too small to have a tower. That’s why Mr Jarvis had to arrange to get the landline turned on.”

 

They both stared at her.

 

Natasha sighed.  “OK, I’ll switch to satellite phone.  Also, where is the thermostat?”

 

Emily smiled and pointed to the wood stove.

 

“Oh.”  She gave Clint a look.  

 

“What?” Emily asked.

 

“Nothing.  It was just that this was more  how I envisioned Victor living than you.”

 

“Hey!  I have running water, and an in-line water heater.  Which reminds me, I wonder if Mr Jarvis got the gas turned on as well.”

 

“Who’s Michael and Robert?”  Clint asked.

 

Emily rubbed her face.  “Robert is Connie’s husband.  Michael is their son.  We went to highschool together.”

 

Natasha gave them a questioning look, so Emily added, “Connie works at the grocery store.  She invited us for supper tomorrow night.”

 

“We’re having moose,” Clint added with a smirk.

 

“Please don’t do that in front of me.  You can make fun of my pathetic life after I go to bed.”

 

Emily turned and walked up the narrow stairs and slammed the door on one of the tiny bedrooms.

 

Clint turned to Natasha and opened his mouth to say something.  Nat held up a hand.  *The walls are like paper,* she signed.

 

Clint nodded.  *The house is small, damp and drafty, but it looks better than some of the ones we walked past.  Everyone has reasonably nice middle class trucks though.*

 

Natasha nodded. “I’ll put the groceries away and start on supper.” *The sight lines are terrible and the woods are only a few feet from the house.  I can’t secure this location.*

 

Clint nodded.  “I’ll put the groceries away.  You start on supper.”  *Yeah.  This place could be werewolf central.  Small, isolated, full of hicks knowing each other’s business.*

 

*No,* Natasha signed, *No loopers around here at all.  But Victor would almost blend in.  Maybe that’s why she isn’t completely freaked out by him.*

 

*Maybe.*

 

There was a knock at the door.  Natasha pulled a gun.  She nodded at Clint.  He opened the door.

 

“Hi!  You must be Nicholas!  I’m Susan.  I was a friend of Emily’s parents.  I know it takes a while to get the house fired back up, so I brought you my famous chicken and mushroom casserole.”

 

“Thanks, Susan.  Emily is just having a nap.  It was a long drive.”

 

“Oh, I bet, I bet.  Did you come up from Regina this morning, then?”

 

Clint stared at her.  “Yes?”

 

“That is a long drive.  Well.  Here you go.  Won’t keep you, this will save you from having to cook tonight at least.  Tell Emily I said hi and she should swing by and have some tea, when she is feeling up to it.”

 

“Of course.  Thanks, Susan.”

 

It actually took Clint another twenty minutes to get rid of Susan.  By the time she left, she had gotten the entire back story of not only Nicholas but his lovely wife, Jessica.  When Clint finally closed the door, he leaned on it as stared at Nat who was hiding behind the door the whole time, gun at the ready.  

 

She put it away and signed, *Well, I was about ready to shoot her.*

 

*Fury could have taken lessons about interrogation from Susan.*

 

They both smiled.  Then they threw out the casserole and made supper.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments please.


	40. Going Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You never can

They were listening to As It Happens on CBC radio after supper.  Carol Off was interviewing someone who had witnessed an attack on a drug ring.  From eyewitness's description it sounded suspiciously like Victor. Apparently, the ‘unknown man’ had broken into a drug lab, had brought down the ring leaders, who had been armed with automatic weapons.  He had uncovered a human trafficking ring in the basement of the warehouse.

 

Reports suggested the man has been seven feet tall and armed only with knives.  Police were officially decrying this sort of vigilante justice.

 

In other news, the Avengers had been deployed to Zimbabwe and there was much speculation because Captain America, The Black Widow and Hawkeye were not in attendance.  Natasha and Clint exchanged a look.   Emily finished washing the dishes then dug her skates out from under the stairs.

 

“I’m going to look for a pick up game.  You can come if you want.”

 

Neither Nat nor Clint had skates, but they followed along anyway.  Nat brought a thermos of hot chocolate.

 

Emily was doing OK, until someone checked her from behind and she landed hard on her left shoulder.  Then she lay on the ice swearing.  Clint rushed over and checked to see if she was ok.

 

“Stop being such a baby, Emily,” the guy said.  “I didn’t hit you that hard.  C’mon.  Walk it off.”

 

“You slammed her to the ice so she landed on her injured side, jackass.” Natasha barked.  She picked up Emily’s stick and her boots.  Clint picked up Emily and carried her off the ice.

 

“Put me down, I can walk.” Emily said quietly.

 

“I know you can, but in the interest of not getting my face ripped off, I think this is better.”

 

“Ha!”  the jackass laughed. “Emily isn’t going to rip your face off!”

 

“It’s not her I’m worried about.” Clint muttered.

 

Clint carried Emily all the way back to the house.  Natasha ran her a bath and organized an ice pack for her shoulder. There was only one bathroom.  It was on the main floor. Sink, toilet, tiny clawfoot tub and enough room for a bathmat, but that was all

 

The house was technically three bedrooms, but they were really small.  The “master bed room” wasn’t that much bigger than the size of a king mattress.  It had a cast iron double bed pushed into one corner.  The other two rooms had a twin bed in them and enough room for a small night stand next to that.  All the rooms had half height closets under the slant of the roof.  They all had wall paper.  A very vintage cream colour paper, with corn flowers was in the master bedroom.  It has likely been white at one point.  The cream background was suspiciously the colour of nicotine.  Pink with white pinstripes in the one of the other bed rooms.  Anaglypta painted a buttery yellow in the room Emily was staying in.  The wall was lined with bookshelves but there weren’t any books.

 

In the morning, Emily took the truck to the Co-op and loaded up all the empty cardboard boxes she could get.  She asked Connie to save any other ones she could.  She spent some time packing up seemingly random things from the house into the boxes, labeling them with a black marker as either keep or donate.  They were mostly donate.

 

She worked in silence with a grim determination that kept Nat and Clint out of her way.  Around eleven, she threw a cookie sheet of root veg into the oven.  At noon, she pureed the veg with chicken stock and served soup.  Clint agreed to do the dishes.  Nat and Emily took a blanket, a thermos of tea and the truck to go visit Emily’s parents.

 

She had Natasha wait in the truck as she took the blanket into the cemetery and sat on the ground drinking tea and talking to the headstones of her parents and her little sister.  After about an hour a green 1970 Impala pulled up and parked next to the truck.  Nat got out and followed the older man over to where Emily was sitting.

 

She looked up.  “Hi Uncle Jim.  Thanks for taking care of the place for me.”

 

Jim nodded.  He sat down on the blanket next to her but didn’t say anything.  They just sat in silence for a while.  Then Jim gave Emily a hug and left.  He hadn’t said anything the entire time.  It gave Nat the creeps.

 

When they got back to the house.  Emily asked if one of them could take the donation boxes to the local church.  She kept packing until the phone rang at 6:03.

 

“Oh.  Hi Connie…..  Yeah, we’ll be right over….. Yeah, I’m sorry, I got to cleaning and lost track of time…..  OK.  I’m leaving as soon as I get my boots on… Yup…. See you soon.”

.

Connie’s house was only a couple block away.  Everything in town was only a couple of blocks away.

 

Connie welcomed them in and introduced her husband, Robert and her son, Michael.

 

“We met last night,” Clint/Nicholas said, looking hard at the jackass from the rink.

 

“Oh!  Of course!”

 

Michael leered, “I bet she told you all about me.  We dated all through high school.”

 

“Really?”  Natasha/Jessica asked.  “It never came up.”

 

The stew was good. Robert and Michael chain smoked through supper.  Connie babbled the whole time about people from the town and surrounding area.  Commenting on how everyone Emily went to highschool with were getting married and/or having babies.  She ended with, “-and you should like about settling down too, Emily.”

 

“”Before you get old and fat and no one wants you.”  Robert laughed.

 

Emily didn’t say anything.  She just took of the flannel shirt that looked suspiciously like something Victor would wear.  Underneath it, she was wearing a tank top that showed off all the surgical scarring on her shoulder.

 

There was a long moment of silence while everyone stared at Emily’s shoulder.  

 

“I saw Jim today.  He’s looking good.” Emily said, taking a drink of her soda.

 

“Yeah.” Robert muttered, his eyes still locked on her shoulder.

 

“I’m going to get rid of the twin beds when I go.  Do you think Katie would want them, if she’s having kids?”

 

“I’ll ask.” Connie said, a little too brightly.  “How much do you want for them?”

 

“If they’re going to Katie…. I dunno.  A six pack of beer and help getting them down the stairs.”

 

“You finally get off your high horse and start drinking beer instead of those crappy gin things?” Michael asked.  He was on his third beer.

 

“Nope.  I’ll pass it along to Jim.”

 

The rest of the night was more of the same.  Michael and Robert started in on the innuendos shortly after dessert, when the steady stream of beer had lowered their inhibitions.

 

Emily made a polite excuse to leave shortly after that and Connie let it stand.

 

Natasha waited until they were all the way back to Emily’s house before saying, “Well, that was awkward.”

 

“Isn’t it always when you have having dinner with ex-boyfriends?”

 

Natasha shook her head.  “How did you stand to date him?”

 

Emily shrugged.  “I wasn’t exactly spoiled for choice around here.”  She hesitated for a moment.  “I’m calling first dibs on the shower.  The chain smoking was hard enough to put up with before I was bitten.”

 

\----

 

In the wee hours of the morning, Natasha crept into Emily’s room and spooned up behind the girl.  “You don’t have to stay with Victor because you don’t have a choice.  You can choose not to stay with him.  You can choose not to come back here.”

 

Emily started to cry softly.  “Really?  Because I don’t see a whole lot of other options for me.  Hooking up with a bunch of werewolves and let them run my life doesn’t sound a whole lot better.  You have no idea how hard I worked, how long I worked, what I went through to save up for school.  Then some asshole bites my shoulder and ruins my life.”

 

“It will be OK,  кролик, you aren’t alone anymore.  We will figure it out.”

 

 


	41. Breakfast Meetings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emily has a visitor

Victor was being a problem.  And, unfortunately, he was Logan’s problem.  “The deal was you would be deployed with the Aven-”

 

“The deal was I would work with the Avengers while I had the girl.  I don’t have the girl.  I don’t give a rat’s ass about Zimbabwe.  Ergo, I am not going.”

 

Logan gritted his teeth.  “We are expecting her to come back next week.  Are you calling the deal off?  I could just get Nat and Clint back.  Leave her where she -”

 

Victor punched Jimmy hard enough to break the man’s jaw.  “If she gets time off then so do I!” he snarled.  Then he reconsidered.  “Actually, why don’t you call Red.  If she and her boy toy are back here, there will be nothing stopping me from taking Emily anywhere I like.”

 

Jimmy burbled and slurred his way around his healing jaw.  “From what I heard, the thing stopping you from just abducting her, is her.”

 

Victor stormed off and slammed the door behind him.

 

\----

 

“What do you mean, you lost him?”

 

“Just that, sir.  Mr Creed left when the team departed from Zimbabwe.  I was able to follow him out of New York using an assortment of security cameras.  However, he travelled out of range and I am not currently aware of his location.”

 

“So, he’s just gone?” Steve asked.

 

“No.  Jarvis can keep watching surveillance and he will turn up.” Tony replied

 

“SIr, I made a point of informing Agent Romanov.  She is going to try to get Ms Farthing to cut her visit short. However, if may be worth noting that the drug ring Mr Creed interacted with is missing most of a key member.”

 

Both Tony and Steve looked confused.

 

Logan lit a cigar, disregarding the no smoking policy.  

 

Jarvis continued, “There was an incident where an individual matching Mr Creed’s description raided a warehouse belonging to a human trafficking ring.  Along with a number of dead, a severed hand was found at the crime scene.  There is no sign of its owner.”

 

Logan growled, “I guess Sabretooth got a case of the munchies.”

 

Tony was surprised.  “You think he is holed up somewhere eating a drug dealer?”

 

Logan shook his head.  “Nah.  Not yet.  He would be sure to torture the guy for a while first.”  He snorted a laugh, “It will be fun watching him explain that to Emily when she gets back.”

 

“It may be worth noting,” Jarvis commented, “That the fingerprints of the severed hand have been linked to a number of unsolved sexual assaults over the years and preliminary DNA suggests matches semen found on several of the women and children who were subsequently rescued.”

 

\----

 

Emily woke alone to the smell of cooking breakfast sausage.  She yawned and stretched and put on her slippers before bounding down the narrow stairs.  When she rounded the corner she saw Clint face down, unconscious on the floor and Natasha kneeling next to him with her hands behind her head.

 

Emily swallowed.  Her house was full of strange loopers.  “Get out.” she growled.

 

The biggest one walled towards her.  “Kneel.” He issued the command, casually, as though he had no doubt that she would obey him.

 

Emily’s ears popped like there was a sudden pressure change and pain blossomed behind her right eye.  She shook her head trying to clear it and closed her eyes as the world started to go bright.

 

“KNEEL!”  This time it was a shout as he stomped towards her.

 

Emily felt her knees start to buckle.  She widened her stance and locked them standing firm. He was so close to her now, she could feel the heat of his face on her cheek and his breath ruffled her hair and he repeated, his lips to her ear:

 

“I told you to-”

 

Emily turned her head and sunk her teeth into his neck.

 

The looper screamed.

 

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” a new voice bellowed.

 

Her ears popped again.  Emily’s eyes snapped open and she turned to see a looper who looked a bit younger than her staring at the one holding his neck.  “Get out.”  It was the same tone of voice, quiet, confident as the first command to kneel.  All the loopers left.

 

The one who remained may have looked younger than Emily, but he felt impossibly old.  Older than Victor.  Older than any other looper she had encountered. Emily wanted to check on Natasha, but instinctively felt that it was a very bad idea to turn her back on this one.

 

He sighed and turned and walked into the kitchen. “Richard made banana pancakes and some of those delicious venison breakfast sausages the local grocery store makes on site.  You should come and have some.”

 

“Get out of my house.”

 

He stiffened, his hands clenching into fists for a moment before he forced himself to relax.  “No, Emily.  We need to talk.  Ms Romanova requested this meeting.”

 

Emily glanced at Nat.  Her eyes were glazed and she hadn’t moved.

 

“What did you do to her?”

 

The looper got plates out of the cupboard and set the table for two.  “I gave her an order.  The… things the Red Room produced are not yennork, but they are good at taking orders.”  He brought over the pancakes, sausage and honey. “Sit.  Eat.  I will explain.”

 

“I don’t eat with strangers.”

 

Now he laughed. After a moment, he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and gasped as he got himself under control.  “I’m sorry.  It has been… centuries since anyone said that and meant it.  I’m Jonathan.” He looked at her expectantly.  When she showed no sign of understanding, he grinned again.  “Most people call me The Black.”

 

“You’re the looper pope.”

 

Jonathan started to giggle again, then he coughed and shook his head.  “No.  I am not a religious figure.  I am the one who drafted The Black Treaty.  It is the code of conduct for Loopers.”

 

“No one gave me a copy.”

 

Jonathan dropped his gaze and looked upset for a moment.  Emily realize he was allowing her to see that.  “You have no idea how much I regret that. And now I can not give you a copy.  It isn’t written down anywhere.  We all have it memorized.  It requires you to learn an old language that we use when we speak to each other. It is build into our culture.”

 

“Or your cult.”

 

Jonathan gave a wry grin.  “If you like.”  He stuffed half a pancake in his mouth, then gestured at the other place setting with his fork. “Sit -  Please sit and eat with me.”

 

Emily watched him for a moment, then settled into the chair.  “I don’t want you in my house.”

 

Jonathan nodded, while cutting up a sausage.  “That is one of the rules, don’t enter another’s territory without permission.  The one you … bit, he is the alpha for almost all the land around here.  If you were male, your presences here would be considered an alpha challenge.  The two of you would fight until you either left or submitted  or he died.”

 

“Ignoring for a moment THAT THIS IS MY HOUSE, how the hell am I supposed to ask permission to enter his territory when I have no idea who he is?”

 

Jonathan shrugged.  “If you had told any looper what your plans were, we would have sent word ahead.”

 

“And what?  If he says no, I do get to go to my house or to visit my family?”

 

“No.  You don’t.”  Jonathan set down his fork and knife and leaned back in his chair. “Although, I doubt your travel would be refused.  It is much more likely that the loopers whose territory you are traveling though would insist on providing security, since yours is so abysmally bad.”

 

Natasha drew in a hissing breath.

 

“Be quite.” Jonathan said, absentmindedly.

 

“That’s rich, since the only thing I need protection from is you.”

 

Jonathan shook his head sadly.  “Ms Romanova, please enlighten your friend.”

 

“There are things that hunt yennork.” Natasha said in a flat voice.  “Variations of loopers who can’t make their own.  Other’s that enjoy the hunt, or just want to piss off the local pack.”

 

Jonathan nodded.  “How many loopers generally guard a yennork?”

 

“Six to eight, although ten is not unheard of.”

 

“There are only four in the Williamsburg pack.” Emily pointed out.

 

“They have no yennork.  If they did, they would recruit or infect two more.”

 

Emily shuddered.  “So, what?  I’m supposed to just kneel because Mr Anchovy breath tells me too?”

 

Jonathan sipped his coffee.  “Being alpha isn’t just about being the biggest in the room.  It is also about strength of will.  Being about to command your pack.  If ...Why did you call him Mr Anchovy?”

 

“Because he stinks like fish.  ‘If’ what?  What were you going to say?”

 

“He smells like... “ Jonathan shook his head, “If you were comfortable obeying him, you would be part of his pack…. Like fish?  Really?”

 

Emily frowned.  “Yes!  How can you not smell that?  Honestly!  Tell the man to brush his teeth or something.”

 

“He smells like food?” Jonathan wanted to be clear.

 

“Yeah? So?”

 

Jonathan turned to Natasha.

 

“Let her get up.” Emily said.

 

“Ms Romanova, please come eat some pancakes, since Emily doesn’t seem to want any.”  

 

Natasha shook her head and wobbled a little as she stood up.  “Emily has consistently described the smells of loopers in terms of food.  It has been entertaining, really.”  She sat down and turned to Emily.  “You should eat breakfast.  He isn’t going to poison you.  The Treaty won’t allow it.’

 

“Is Clint OK?”

 

“Yeah.  He’ll wake up in shortly.  You need answers.  The Black can give them too you.”

 

“I don’t even know what questions to ask.”

 

“You you allow a looper to move into your household to -”

 

“No.” Emily said firmly.  “You breaking into my house has not earned you any favours, and I can’t imagine Victor being happy with a looper sleeping on his couch.”

 

“Victor Fuckov?”

 

“Also known as Victor Creed.” Natasha supplied.

 

Jonathan snarled at the name, and as Emily watched, his teeth changed shape looking like those of a big dog for a moment.  His five o’clock shadow got worse.  His eyes turned yellow.  He sat back down and forced himself to relax. Through gritted teeth, he asked, “Does she know who he is?”

 

“No.  She owes him a year of her time.  It didn’t seem wise to make her more afraid than she already was.”

 

\----

 

Victor considered his prey.  Emily was gone.  She might not be coming back.  He might never see her again.

 

But he might.

 

He had promised her fidelity.

 

This man was a murderer and a rapist.  Surely she would not object to him returning the favour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make the writing go.


	42. Rules

Emily stared at Natasha.  “Tell me about Victor.”

 

Natasha had been assembling a plate of food.  She froze.  “Since 1945 both Soviet and American intelligence agencies have tracked Victor Creed AKA Sabretooth across six continents and have documented thousands of confirmed kids of men, women and children.  With another ten thousand suspected kills.  Sabretooth’s MO sometimes involves raping his victims to death and consuming their organs.”

 

Emily looked sick.  Jonathan was watching her. She swallowed.  “How many people have you killed?”

 

He snorted,  “I am eight hundred years old.  I have killed and eaten more people than Victor Creed.”

 

“Rape many of them?” Emily asked.

 

“Yes.  And they all died. When I was newly turned, my pack’s yennork was named Maive.  There were seven of us, so I got her on Tuesdays.  Every Tuesday for more than sixty years I got to do whatever I wanted to her.  I loved her, but didn’t really think she counted as a person.  At that time, it was common belief that women did not have souls.  When she finally successfully killed herself, I wrote the Treaty to keep packs more stable.  It was not originally intended as anything more than that.  But it included a section on not allowing yennork to come to harm, and that was what changed our society.

 

“It isn’t the violence that worries us about Mr Creed.  It’s that he can not be stopped.”

 

Emily thought about that. He didn’t smell like he was lying, but it did not match her experiences.  The easy answer was that he must be mistaken.  She changed the subject.  “Why is Natasha obeying you?”

 

Jonathan considered this.  “A minor side effect of the infection is a slight… telepathic enhancement.  If you have the right mindset, the right amount of confidence, you can command people.  To a varying extent.  It is like hypnosis, for lack of a better example.  We lower people’s inhibitions and make them more compliant, but you can’t force someone to act against their nature.  Ms Romanova spent many years being trained to follow orders.  It isn’t that hard to tap into that.”

 

“Well, stop it.”

 

Jonathan considered this.  “No.’ He held up a hand, “I find it entertaining.  This would never work if she was part of your pack.  She would obey no one but you.  She sleeps with you. I can smell your scents on each other.  But the male was not invited.  He isn’t part of your pack either.  You shouldn’t be traveling with less than six armed loopers and yet here you are with only these two.  Who exactly is your pack, Emily?”

 

“Victor.” Emily said hesitantly.

 

Jonathan shook his head.  “One other is not a pack.  Not a stable one.”  He considered this as he poured himself another coffee. “Between ourselves, looper currency is sex.  There is never enough to go around.  Everyone helps everyone else in the pack.  There is no stepping out with a hume for a one night stand.  If you want to travel through another packs territory, it is fair for them to ask for favours.  There are never enough females to go around and after the first twenty years, you get bored with the same smells. The same sex from your packmates.  Pack MATES.  That word evolved from us. So the first rule is we don’t steal from each other.  And when sex is the currency, that includes stolen touches.”

 

Emily shuddered under Jonathan’s intense gaze.

 

“The second rule is that anything you bite, you either capture or kill.  There aren’t supposed to be loopers running around uncontrolled and unaware of the treaty.

 

“Which brings us to rule three: Anything you turn, you teach.  You should be with the pack that bit you right now, learning the language and the treaty.

 

“Rule four: Do not interfere with an alpha challenge.  If you are going to challenge someone for territory, you have to be prepared to kill him and absorb or scatter his pack if you win.”

 

Emily interjected, “You’re telling me I need to kill that guy to keep my house?”

 

“Victor would do it for you,” Natasha suggested.

 

Emily stared at them.  “That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard!  I mean, I understand territory issues, but my being here doesn’t affect hunting or breeding rights.  I am basically a null.”

 

“No. You are not.”  Jonathan said firmly.  “And I am not saying you need to kill him to keep your house, I am saying you need to ASK HIM when you are coming into his territory, just as you would want us to knock before coming into your house.”

 

Emily frowned.  “So, do as I say, not as I do?”

 

Jonathan grinned.  “I have a son.  I would like you to meet him sometime.”  He looked thoughtful for a moment.  “After you tire of the feral, that is.”

 

Something clicked for Emily.  ‘That guy owns the territory around here?  That means he’s the one that bit me!  Him or one of the cat food crew!”  She snarled, then looked worried,.  She turned to Natasha, “Do I smell like fish too?”

 

Natasha grinned, “You smell amazing, Emly.”

 

Emily blushed.  “Thanks  Any tips for killing a pack of werewolves?”

 

“Yeah.  Call Victor.”

 

The Black cleared his throat.  “Unless you are planning on holding this territory, I wouldn’t recommend that.”

 

Both women turned to look at him.

 

“Rule five: keep your territory clear of monsters.  The hume’s that live there are under your protection.”

 

Emily shook her head.  “Yeah, I heard about that one.  There seems to be some room for interpretation.”

 

Jonathan considered her for a moment.  “Eat some breakfast.  The smell of your hunger is becoming distracting.”  He fought not to laugh as Emily’s eyes narrowed but instead added, “Please.”

 

Grumbling, Emily took some of the pancakes.  They were embarrassingly good.

 

“The thing you got Thomas to help with was people.  Not monsters.  It is outside of our...jurisdiction.  But I hear you were very persuasive with your encouragement and generous with your payment.”

 

Emily blushed.  Natasha considered this.  “I want to know what that was and how you kept Victor from finding out.”  Emily just shook her head.

 

“None of that sounds particularly applicable to me.” Emily said.

 

Jonathan looked at her, “Yennork are our treasures, they must be not only guarded but protected. Harming one is punishable by death.”

 

Emily shook her head, “That is such bullshit. How do you even make a Yennork without harming her?”

 

“With care.”

 

Emily snorted. “Right.”

 

“The one who bit you has been put down.”

 

“That doesn't get me my life back.”

 

“No.  But we will make sure you are financially taken care of, no matter where you end up.  I hear you were is school?  Pick any post secondary program anywhere in the world and I will make it happen.”

 

Emily considered this.  “How was this supposed to go?  What, you bite someone and drag them back to  your den and hold them captive until the Stockholm syndrome kicks in?”

 

The Black shrugged.  “When it’s males, yes, pretty much.  Their Alpha says come and they obey.  Until they either kill him and become Alpha or leave the pack as a Lone Wolf.  Females are a bit different.  Generally, it’s someone who has been dating a pack member for a while.  Occasionally, it’s someone who gets caught in a fight between looper and monster.  What it isn’t supposed to be is someone gets drunk and happens across a lone predawn runner.”

 

Emily frowned, “Drunken werewolves are a thing?”

 

“They aren’t supposed to be.”

 

\----

 

Victor looked at his victim.  The man was starting to go into shock.  That wouldn’t do.  Victor wasn’t done with him yet. He cracked open a bottle of sports drink and broke the man’s jaw to poured it down his throat. The man refused to swallow.  Victor considered this.  “You have two ends this can go in.  Would you prefer the other?”

 

\----

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m looking for a small town with a bar, a hotel, a grocery store and a garage and not much else. Some place where the kids get bussed out for school. There needs to a university within an hours drive. Anyone want to nominate a location?


	43. The Silent Treatment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's back?

“Shut up!”  Victor shouted, hitting the drug dealer again.  The man wasn’t exactly screaming anymore. Not with the broken jaw.  That was the only reason Victor could hear his cell ringing. No one had that number. Well, one person did.

 

He stepped into the next room before he answered.  Her hearing had gotten better, but he wasn’t sure how much better.  He let the call connect and waited.

 

“Victor?”

 

“Emily.” he kept his voice controlled.  He didn’t feel controlled.

 

“I just wanted to hear your voice.”

 

“Why? You weren’t interested in talking to me the last time I saw you.”

 

“Oh.” She was quiet for a long time, but the line didn’t disconnect so Victor didn’t hang up either.  

 

After entirely too long, she added softly, “I’ll be back soon.  We can maybe talk then.” Victor kept waiting. After a while longer she added, “Um… Okay then. I’ll um…” she sighed. “I’ll just go.”  The call disconnected then.

 

Victor dropped the phone, then he went into the other room.  He looked down at the quivering mess weeping on the floor. He had another whole day worth of fun planned.  But Emily was coming back, so he clawed open one of the man’s arteries and let him bleed out. 

 

Time to start cleaning up before the misses came home.

 

\----

 

Nat had been watching Emily’s face during the phone call. She couldn’t actually hear Victor’s responses, either he was speaking softly so she wouldn’t or he just wasn’t talking.  Given that it was Creed and that Emily had specifically said she wanted to hear his voice, it could be either, really. 

 

“Are you ok?” Nat asked. 

 

Emily nodded. “Only eight and a half months left, right?”

 

While Nat considered this, they finished loading the rental truck and Emily handed the keys over to her Uncle Jim.   He gave her a rather large Christmas present and a hug. Nat made one last phone call from the house phone before they left.  The person she called wasn’t happy to hear from her. He certainly wasn’t happy with her plan. But since he didn’t have a better one, he agreed to play along.  Because it was him, he agreed with bad grace and much swearing.

 

Honestly,  Кролик was right, it was like dealing with toddlers.

 

In the meantime, she had a couple of days and she was going to make the most of them.

 

She hopped into the truck and announced, “Change of plans, Logan is going to meet us in Saskatoon and drive you and Clint back to New York.”

 

Emily tensed, “What about you?”

 

“I’ll make my own way.  I have a few things I need to do.” Then she changed the subject, “So, how is Victor?”

 

That worked to distract her, but Emily’s immediate distress wasn’t the distraction Nat had been hoping for.  Even Clint noticed.

 

“He… didn’t actually say anything. I got one line telling me he is mad about how I left, and I get that. But … I needed this.  I just don’t know how to make it better.”

 

Nat and Clint shared a look. It was Clint who suggested, “You know, just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean you can’t talk to him.  Well, as long as he is still answering the phone, that is. Call him up, say what you need to say. Then it’s on him whether he answers or not.”

 

“Or hangs up on me,” Emily replied.

 

Clint shrugged. “I don’t know that he would, but if he does, at least you tried.”

 

Emily nodded to herself and pulled an old book out of her purse.  She spent the next hour looking at it. Neither Clint nor Nat saw her turn the page even once.  

 

When they were most of the way back to Saskatoon, Natasha asked, “What do you want for dinner, Emily?”

 

Emily looked up and thought about it for a second before she said, “Not steak.  I am beyond tired of Victor just ordering cow for me as soon as we get anywhere.”

 

Clint nodded, “Vegetarian it is.”

 

\----

 

After dinner Emily ran a bath and called Victor from behind the locked door.  The call connected, but no one said anything. “Victor?”

 

Nothing.

 

Emily considered this.  “I’m going to assume you wouldn’t let anyone take your phone.  I know you’re mad at me. I understand that. I just… Look, things got intense and I got scared and …  I needed to say goodbye to my family, my house. I needed to … I don’t even know. I went home and it wasn’t … it was like nothing had changed.  But I have. And …. I’m not making any sense and I’m not even sure you are listening.”

 

She waited.

 

“Nat’s leaving and there was this guy, The Black and he said-”

 

Now Victor interrupted, “I don’t care what he said, I expect you honour our agreement.”

 

“I… of course I will.”

 

She waited to see if he was going to say anything else or hang up.

 

He didn’t.

 

She tried again, “I’m sorry I upset you.  I just needed some time to think. I needed to take care of myself.”

 

Nothing.

 

“I’ll be back in time for Christmas.”

 

Silence.

 

“Um… Okay then.  I... “ she trailed off and thought for a moment.  Then she made up her mind, “I’ll call you tomorrow night.  Unless you tell me not to.”

 

“Even if you call, you aren’t here.  These days don’t count toward your debt.”

 

Now it was Emily’s turn to go silent.  She was shocked but it quickly morphed into rage. “That’s what you are worried about?  My debt? Not that I panicked and ran away. Not that it’s the anniversary of my parent’s death.  Not that I was stalked by werewolves who broke into my house-”

 

“What?” Victor roared.

 

Emily ignored him.  “Nevermind that every last part of my old life has crumbled to pieces around me.  No! The important part is that I settle my debt to you. Well, I will. And if you don’t think I’m worth talking to outside of that debt, then I won’t bother you again.”  Emily hung up.

 

Victor called her right back.

 

She wanted to smash the phone on the tile floor.  Or drop in into the bathtub. But it wasn’t her phone and she couldn’t afford to buy Victor a replacement, so she settled for just turning it off and dropping it on the towel on the floor.  The she sunk beneath the water and screamed and screamed until she had no air left in her lungs and even then she stayed under the water until her body started to choke. She came up for air with a gasp.  Nat was watching her.

 

“If you are done trying to drown yourself, Victor wants to talk to you.”

 

Emily shook her head, no, and sank below the water again.  She could hear Natasha talking. She ignored it. The next time she came up for air, Clint was sitting on the floor watching her.

 

“What are you doing?  Get out!”

 

Clint shook his head, “Not until Nat is done talking to Victor.  What did he say to you, anyway?”

 

Emily just shook her head and leaned over the edge of the tub to grab her towel.  She stood up, wrapped up and pulled the plug with her toes. “There, I am no longer a drowning risk.  Can I have some privacy now?”

 

Clint nodded slowly.  “Are you going to survive being stuck in a vehicle with me and Logan for three days while we drive back to New York?”

 

Emily shrugged.  “That depends on whether Logan wants to smoke in the car or not.”

 

Clint snorted.  “I hadn’t even thought of that.  I meant because you’ve been sleeping with Nat since we left.”

 

Emily blushed and turned towards the bedroom to find her pajamas, “I’ve been sharing a bed with Nat, not sleeping with her.  There is a difference.”

 

Clint just shrugged and turned to face the wall.  

 

\----

 

Victor tried to call Emily back; it rang twice then he got the recording saying she was away from the phone or out of the service area.  So he called Nat. “Let me talk to her, Red.”

 

“Why, hello, Victor!  Nice to hear from you  too.”

 

“I’m not playing. Put Emily on the phone.”

 

He could hear Natasha walking, then the sound of a door opening, then the slightly echo-y effect that Emily’s call had.  “She is under the water of the bathtub and appears to be screaming.” Natasha said calmly.

 

“What?!  For fuck’s sake fish her out!”

 

“No. I am genuinely curious how long she can hold her breath.  Something I would have thought might interest you too.”

 

Victor growled. 

 

Then he hear Nat say, “If you are done trying to drown yourself, Victor wants to talk to you.”  He didn’t hear Emily’s reply, but Natasha came back with, “It seems she doesn’t want to talk to you.  So this is where you tell me how you fucked up and I get to decide if I want to try to fix it.”

 

“She left ME!  I am allowed to be angry about that!”

 

“Not really.  And you certainly don’t get to hurt her back and expect her to just take it.  Mutual revenge in how wars are started. You know this Victor. So why are you waging war on a twenty three year old.”

 

“She’s twenty two.” Victor snarked back.

 

“Two things:  First that makes it worse not better.  And second, I have seen her driver’s licence.  She turned twenty three at the beginning of November.  I take it you missed her birthday.”

 

“Is that what this is about?” Victor demanded.

 

“I doubt it.  But we also visited her parents’ and sister’s grave and the date on the headstones was this week three years go.  And we meet her jackass of an ex-boyfriend. His mother invited us to dinner so that he and his dad could get drunk and make fun of her.”

 

“What about the werewolf?  She said something about a werewolf?”

 

“Oh!  That! You mean the part where they broke into her house, basically told her to never come home again and suggested she trade sexual favours for permission to travel.  Which I suspect made her feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy about whatever the hell it is you have going.”

 

“She didn’t tell me that.” Victor said quietly.

 

“Did you give her the chance to?”

 

\----

 

That night when Natasha came to check on Emily she was curled into a ball, weeping silently.  “Aww!  Кролик, why are you crying?  Victor Creed doesn’t deserve your tears.”

 

Emily gave a little hiccough and rubbed her face.  “I don’t want to go back to him, Nat. I don’t want to do this anymore.”

 

Natasha sat on the bed and ran her fingers through Emily’s long black hair.  “If you really don’t want to go back, we can call The Black and he will arrange to hide you.  I don’t really know if the loopers would be better or worse. You would still have you movements limited.  But it wouldn’t be Victor and they would be better organized.”

 

“I don’t want to go with him, either.”

 

Natasha pursed her lips, “If you try to go it your own, bunny, it won’t take long for one of those other things to find you.”

 

Emily snorted, “The werewolf boogie man. Right.”

 

Natasha shook her head.  “Not the boogie man. The monsters that Hydra made when they got ahold of the virus that causes lycanthropy in 1943. They are bigger, stronger and unable to reproduce on their own because the can’t bite and not kill.  They are fond to stealing yennorks. That is why the loopers hunt them.”

 

“That… doesn’t sound real” Emily said uncertainly.

 

Natasha shrugged.  “None of this sounds real, but it is.”  She considered this for a while. “If you find somewhere really remote without any loopers and if we can get you there without leaving a scent trail, you might be okay for a while.  Until the locals realize you aren’t aging, away.” 

 

“Victor told me that no one is actually in control of their life, we just think we are.  But this feels even more out of control that what most people have to deal with.”

 

Natasha shrugged, “Not really.  You just are more aware of the choices.  People believe they can do anything. They can’t.  They are constrained by biology, or social status or social skills or intellectual potential, or their financial reality.  The only difference is you are more aware of your restrictions.” She watched Emily for another moment then asked, “What did he say to upset you?”

 

Emily thought about this.  “I was trying to talk to him about …  everything. And he wouldn’t talk to me.  But he made a point of reminding me that he is only interested in collecting on my debt.  I thought… He had made sure I got a therapist and he pretended to care about my survivor’s guilt and he made me breakfast and paid attention to what I eat and I thought…” Emily stopped and shook her head.  “I was an idiot and I forgot that I am just some whore he bought with his connections to Mr Stark.”

 

“Oh, bunny -”

 

“Logan warned me Victor was a bad guy.  You told me I was pretty much guaranteed to get stockholm syndrome.  And still it only took him paying attention for five minutes and I started to think maybe he actually cared about me.  And I am not crying for him. I am ashamed that I have been this stupid. And it was easier to be around him when I could lie to myself.  Now I can’t and I don’t want to go back and have to pretend to care about him when I know that none of that matters.”

 

Natasha wrapped her arm around Emily and pulled her close and kissed her forehead.  “We will figure it out. I am not going to make you stay in his rooms if either of us, you or I don’t feel it is a safe place for you to be.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments make the writing go.
> 
> or stop.


	44. Rerouting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wrapping it up. Target is to be done by Chapter 45

Natasha stuck around until Logan got there.  Emily spent the days waiting in the library reading.  This made both Clint and Nat uneasy, to the point where Nat offered to just buy her whatever book she wanted.  Emily refused saying that she didn’t want to have to transport them.

 

“Besides, I like this library.  I have good memories here. There is a good chance I will never be allowed to come back,so just let me enjoy the time I have.”

 

She still wasn’t taking Victor’s calls and the library gave her an excuse to have her phone off.  

 

She used the time to indulge in stupid escapist stories and her love of reading cook books, something that completely baffled her companions.  She tried to explain that food tv wasn’t about cooking any more and how reading recipes taught her different things about flavour pairings and how most cookbooks have a chapter at the beginning about the author’s philosophy of cooking.

 

Nat and Clint looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language.

 

She gave up and found a copy of the World of Warcraft cookbook.

 

It was Clint that arranged for her to take a gourmet cooking class at one of the high end appliance stores that night.  She got to cook on a Wolf stove and use an Ankarsrum Assistent and ingredients so far out of her price range that she couldn’t even see them on a clear day.  She had a blast.

 

That night as she was getting into bed, Nat sat on the mattress and said, “You know, Кролик, Clint is good at cuddling too.”

 

Emily looked down and whispered.  “I may be mad at Victor, but I don’t want him to hurt Clint.”

 

Natasha nodded, slowly, before saying, “It’s a long drive back to New York, Кролик, are you going to be okay on your own for that long?”

 

Emily nodded, “I was alone until I called Victor for help.  I will be fine.”

 

Natasha gave her a skeptical look, but nodded.   Then she left to go bed share with Clint.

 

Emily curled into a ball under the covers and tried to sleep.

 

At one o’clock in the morning she turned on her phone and sent Victor a text message.

 

\--I miss you--

 

She looked at the screen for a few minutes before grunting in frustration and tucking the phone under her pillow.

 

Half an hour later, he replied.

 

It took her ten minutes to work up the nerve to even look.

 

\--I miss you too--

 

Michael would have wanted a naked snapchat to make him feel better.  Emily didn’t want Victor having those kind of pictures of her.

 

\--I’m sorry I left the way I did--

 

\--You could have told me--

 

\--no victor if i could have told you i would have but i couldnt talk about it--

 

There wasn’t a reply to that.

 

Emily eventually fell asleep.

 

\----

 

Logan turned up in a black SUV.  They dropped Nat at the airport.

 

Emily rode in the back seat in silence, her cheek pressed to the window.

 

When they stopped to let her pee, Logan lit up and asked, “How long has she been like that?”

 

Clint shrugged, “Since the werewolves broke into her house and took Nat and me hostage while they told her how being yennork works.”

 

Logan narrowed his eyes.

 

Clint continued, “She was sleeping in Nat’s bed from then until last night.  I don’t think she slept last night.”

 

Logan grunted.  Then Emily came out and got back in the car.

 

That night, while he was smoking in front of the motel room where they had stopped for the night, Logan called the man who may or may not be his brother.

 

Victor didn’t even say hello but went straight for, “How is she?”

 

“About five pounds lighter and sleep deprived.”

 

Victor snarled into the phone.  “Red marched into my room and shot me with a water pistol first thing when she got back.  Said I need to take better care of my pack.” He conveniently left out the part where she called him bad kitty.

 

Logan grunted, “Having seen the kid, she has a point.”

 

“She left me!” Victor roared.

 

“And why did she do that?” Logan asked calmly.  He was finding his experience dealing with hormonally unbalanced teenagers was an asset in talking to Victor.

 

“I dunno! We had a great night together, then in the morning she just stormed out.”

 

Logan didn’t say anything, but he said it really loudly.

 

“It wasn’t like that.  I made sure she had a good time AND I didn’t hurt her.”

 

“And you started pushing for a threesome.”

 

“It’s what yennork do!”

 

Logan considered this as he took a drag from his cigar.  What would Charles have said? Oh yeah, “Maybe, but that is not all she is.”

 

“I never said that.”  Logan was silent. Victor shouted, “I NEVER SAID THAT!” then hung up.

 

Logan chuckled softly and finished his cigar.

 

When he came back into the room, Emily was curled in a ball, crying softly.  He stared at her then looked at Clint, who was oblivious as he changed the batteries in his hearing aids.  Logan came and sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her back.

 

“You smell like cigar.” Emily commented.

 

Logan went and had a shower.  When he came out, Clint was laying on Emily’s bed, holding her hand.  Probably just as well, he occasionally got stabby in his sleep.

 

\----

 

Emily felt broken.  Just… done. This whole thing was just overwhelming.  This wasn’t what she wanted out of her life. Everything was spinning out of control.  And she thought about what the Black had said, about strength of will. Something about being able to command the members of your pack.

 

OK.

 

That…. Explained a lot, actually.  She lay in bed thinking about her interactions with Victor.  Then she thought about how he let her go, but was hurt that she didn’t come back.  Like she had abandoned him. That wasn’t good.

 

She thought about what she wanted and heard Logan sniff in his sleep.  Yeah. OK.

 

She sat up and grabbed her phone and headed to the bathroom to get some privacy.

 

\----

 

Logan frowned, “We are rerouting through where?”

 

“Bellmont, New York.  The small one, in the north east corner of the prov - state.”   
  


 

Clint shook his head.  “That isn’t on the way home.”

 

Emily shrugged.  “I want to meet the pack that there.  Then, I’m told, we can take the … I-87 through Albany to get to New York.”

 

Logan cleared his throat.  “Victor is already pissed at how you left.  He isn’t going to be happy that you are stopping to date a pack of puppies before going back to him.”

 

Emily blinked.  “Oh! I already arranged that.  He’s going to meet us there.”

  
  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Show me the love!


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